


Snowflake Through the Looking Glass

by fallsintograce



Series: The Greatest Treasure Of All [1]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: All the Russians are sneaky and working behind the scenes, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Based off Fan Art, Confident Katsuki Yuuri, Eros Katsuki Yuuri, F/F, M rating will kick in further down the line, M/M, Phantom thief Victor, Phichit is also a journalist, Secret Identity, Slow Burn, The smut will roll in eventually, Though he still has anxiety now and then, Yuuri is a Journalist, phantom thief
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-30
Updated: 2018-10-19
Packaged: 2019-01-26 04:14:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 80,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12548588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fallsintograce/pseuds/fallsintograce
Summary: After months of covering boring story after boring story, Yuuri gets a break when he and Phichit decide to investigate a series of thefts caused by a mysterious phantom thief who goes by V. However, V is interested in something that can be found deep inside of Yuuri's heart; the greatest treasure known to mankind. He would have done anything to get it. However, now it's in his soulmate. Is the treasure really worth it?





	1. First Contact

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Halloween, everyone! (Okay, it's early but still...) I saw the picture of Phantom Thief Victor and Eros Yuuri in the YOI AU zine that I got and it was drawn by chuinny over on Twitter. You can find it over here: [Awesome pic is awesome](https://twitter.com/chuinny/status/911059151505076224)
> 
> And I thought, hey, this could make a great story! We got tons of Phantom Thief Yuuris but not enough Phantom Thief Victors. So this was born. It's rated M but that rating will kick in a little further down the line. You will know when. (And yes, this has multiple ships though Victuuri is still the main). The other characters will show up soon and we'll get deeper into everything. 
> 
> Un-betaed at the moment but I just wanted to get this out before I left for the day. (Yes, I'm still working on the merman AUs as well. Updates for those will probably come next weekend).

Yuuri Katsuki had never expected to go through much after he retired from figure skating. Truthfully, he didn't want a whole lot out of life now. He had dreams of being a champion skater but those days were over. It was time for a new chapter in his life. 

"Are you sure?" His best friend, Phichit, asked him one day. "You're not that old that you have to give up."

That was true but Yuuri's mind was made up. He needed something new to make him forget about his past. Both of them were figure skaters in the past but injuries kept them from fulfilling their biggest dreams. Those injuries coupled with Yuuri's performance anxiety had them both retiring at a young age. Not really wanting to waste too much time, Phichit suggested they go into the world of journalism. At first, Yuuri was a little apprehensive to go into it. He wasn't sure he could interview people or write a decent article. He could write essays for college but writing for a paper was something else. However, it was the only thing the two of them could find at first. Despite not having much experience in the field, they were hired for a few months to see how they did. They had to do a lot of begging and pleading for a chance but it paid off. Both were now hired to cover small stories now and then. 

Working at the newspaper was a lot of fun though the stories they got weren't always the most exciting. In some ways, it was good. Yuuri had been asked to cover the opening of a brand new bakery on the corner and interview the owners. In addition to getting a lot of information, he was also given a lot of goodies. He came back from that interview with a box full of cookies, cupcakes, brownies, and kolaches. They also told him that he could come back at any time he wanted. That night, he and Phichit got a stomach ache from all the baked goods they had received. The rewards did come with a few prices. 

These kinds of stories weren't too bad but they got a little repetitive. The city was quiet out there. Sure, there was the occasional crime but neither he nor Phichit were ever asked to cover those. The supervisor thought that it was too risky to send them out on these stories. He didn't want to see them get hurt by getting the news. 

"You're still very young and new to all of this." He told them. "I would feel safer if you just stuck to simple stories for now. Besides, there is nothing wrong writing about the local craft fairs or opening of stores. People want to hear about that too."

Both of them understood what he meant but it didn't do anything about the boredom. Up until now, the most exciting thing either one got to write about was a film festival that took place two months ago. They had seen their share of amazing and awful movies. Sometimes, they ended up watching a movie more than once just to get the gist of it. Writing about them was exciting but it wasn't the same as investigating a crime. The senior reporters had a lot more fun than they did. They got to see things before most people did. They got to write the better stories that people would read about. Yuuri and Phichit didn't get that glory. Their lives were moving slowly and quietly. It was a safe life but a boring one. 

Then came that one day when Phichit burst into the room, waving his phone. He could barely stay still with how excited he was. "Stop the presses!"

"Uh...I haven't done nothing yet." Yuuri laughed. "You just wanted to say that, didn't you?"

"I've always wanted to say that. Anyway, sit down because I've got some big news for you!" He exclaimed, pulling up a chair and plopping down in it. "I may have found the story of the century!" 

"That's what you said last time. All they wanted us to do was check out the food truck rally. That's not really story of the century material."

"Maybe not but we got a lot of good food for free."

"True." Yuri turned around to face his friend. Phichit's idea of exciting wasn't the same as his. "So what is this story?" 

"You should check out social media. In fact, I just found the article that has it." Phichit showed him something on his phone. "This just came in to the police and everyone has obtained it on social media. The hashtag is spreading like wildfire. Everyone is talking about it and I've been circulating it everywhere."

"What is it?"

"This!"

He showed Yuuri what he had come across. It was smack dab in the middle of the article but the bold letters made the message clear. 

**At midnight, I will obtain The Azure Wings. See you there. '♡' - V**

"V? Like that movie we watched, V For Vendetta?" Yuuri read out loud. "What kind of name is that? And what kind of a face is that? Is it supposed to be a smiley with a heart-shaped mouth?Who smiles like that?"

"I wondered the same thing. I guess he's not creative when it comes to names. The face is...cute, I guess. The guy sounds nuts to me." Phichit shrugged. "Still, the police are not going to take any chances. Supposedly, they are guarding the museum in every corner. If this V isn't stupid, he won't show up."

"I don't know. He didn't say much other than wanting The Azure Wings. What are those anyway?"

"I did my research on that and it turns out it's a butterfly carved out of aquamarine and encrusted with diamonds. It doesn't look like much but it is said to be worth thousands of dollars. The museum has it locked safely under glass and no one is even allowed to take pictures of it. The only photograph of it was taken when it first arrived at the museum."

He showed Yuuri the picture of the butterfly. It was indeed a gorgeous piece but it looked very small. "That little thing is worth so much money?"

"Don't let the size fool you. So many people want to get a hold of it. There a million buyers from all over the world trying to pay whatever they can. As of now, no one has claimed it. I guess this V decided to take a chance and get this before anyone else did."

"Why does he want this? There's got to be something more expensive out there."

"Who knows? Anyway, I was thinking of checking the museum out at midnight! Want to come?!"

"The museum's closed at midnight. You wouldn't be able to see anything."

"On the contrary, we might be able to catch this V in action! That's what I really want to see. We don't have to get too close. We just need a good view so we can see him running across a building or something! That would be the greatest thing ever!"

"I don't know. I can think of a million things that are greater than that." Yuuri was nervous. It was times like this that he wished Phichit wasn't as adventurous. Chasing after a thief might sound exciting but it could be dangerous. "I think you should just let the police handle this. We don't need to go after him."

"We're not going after him. We're just going to observe him. There is a difference."

"I fail to see the difference."

"Look, just come with me and hang out in the shadows. You don't have to say anything. Just stick with me for this one. I promise that I won't ask anything of you again!" Phichit pleaded, clasping his hands. "Do this for me, Yuuri! Only once!"

Yuuri sighed when he saw Phichit's face. "You won't leave me alone unless I say yes, will you?"

"You know me well. So what's it going to be?" 

"All right, you win. It's not like I had much of a choice. However, we are staying as far as we can from that scene." Yuuri told him. He had to lay down some rules. "You can watch but don't try to call out to him or anything. Don't get too close. Above all, don't draw any attention to me."

"So many rules." Phichit shook his head. "That's fine. All I want is for you to be by my side. Promise me that you won't tell anyone about this."

"I have no intention to do that. I'll get into trouble too." 

"Perfect! Meet me outside of the history museum around 11:45 tonight then! I have a feeling this is going to be a night neither of us is going to forget! And if we get a great story out of it, who knows?! We could end up winning The Pulitzer or something! Oh, maybe they'll write a story about us or maybe a documentary!"

Yuuri held up his hands. "Let's not get carried away. We'll go to the museum and see what happens."

The rest of the day seemed to take an eternity to get through. Both puttered around the office, trying to find something else to occupy their time. It was a relief when darkness fell and they were able to get to the scene. Most of the police officers were already there so they had to keep their distance. The entire time they were there, both of them were scared and excited at the same time. Something big was going to happen. 

The history museum happened to be right next to the art museum. Both of them closed around the same time yet people were guarding both buildings. Phichit happened to find the one shadowed spot that no one had occupied. He was now looking up at the roof in case V decided to show up.

"Isn't this exciting?!" He exclaimed. "We are going to witness something amazing!"

"What if nothing happens?" Yuuri asked. "What if this is just some prank? It could be some kid deciding they wanted to fool around."

"In any case, it's the most exciting thing that's happened in this city in a long time. Prank or not, I am looking forward to it." He held out his phone. "All right, camera is ready to catch someone in action. We're in place. How do you feel, Yuuri?"

"Nervous. I don't have a good feeling about this." 

"Relax. You're just scared because you think we're going to be caught. I can tell you right now that the police are not after you. They are after this V. They care more about catching him in the act than dealing with us. So just calm down and stay quiet. If you don't say anything, no one will know you were here." 

"I know. Still, I can't help but get a funny feeling about all of this." Yuuri thought out loud. "I've been thinking about it for a while. It's not really a premonition but it makes me wonder..."

"About what?"

"I don't know what it is but I know it will change my life. I guess that's the real reason I came with you. I think something is going to happen but not what we expected." 

"Are you having a premonition? That's so cool!"

"It's more like a hunch. Still, let's see." Phichit looked up at the roof and thought he had seen something. "Oh! Oh, I think that's him! Look, Yuuri! I think I see him!"

"Where?!" Yuuri looked up at the roof and saw something speeding across that rooftop. "What are we going to do?!"

"I'm going to the picture of the century, that's what!" Phichit held out his phone and tried to catch the criminal in the act. "I just wish he would stop long enough for me to get a good shot!"

Yuuri kept staring at the person running around but he couldn't move. It felt as though someone had frozen him in place and his heart was pounding. He could hear it as he tried to inch closer. Phichit may have wanted that picture but he wanted to see this criminal up close. Who was he? What did he want with The Azure Wings? More importantly, why was Yuuri feeling this pain inside of his chest? 

It wasn't the kind of dull pain that could go away. Now it was strong enough to pull him down to his knees. His heart felt like it was going to break out of his chest and going flying out into the night. He felt sick inside but he wasn't ill. He knew what this feeling was deep down and he knew what it meant. 

Soulmate.

It sounded like a fairy tale but a lot of people believed in soulmates. So many claimed to have found their soulmates due to being pulled towards them. That pull was a pain inside their chest that only stopped once they were connected to each other. 

_Can it be?_ He wondered. _Maybe my nerves are getting to me. Yeah, that has to be it. I'm feeling sick because I'm anxious. This thief, whoever he is, is not my soulmate. He can't be._

"Yuuri, are you all right?" Phichit noticed that Yuuri was down on his knees and clutching his chest. "Do you need to go home? Should I call a doctor?"

"No." Yuuri managed to get out, rubbing his chest. "I keep looking at him...and I feel something. I feel so nauseous."

"Maybe I should take you home."

"I have to stay." Yuuri whispered, eyes locked on the stranger standing on the roof. From the distance, he could make out how well dressed he was. This was no ordinary thief. He wanted the attention with his bright magenta clothes. "Can you get a good look at him? Maybe zoom in a little bit."

"I'm trying but it's hard. I can tell he's a wearing a mask though. He's wearing a lot of bright colors for someone trying to evade the police." Phichit noted, looking at his phone. Then he turned to Yuuri. "Okay, I should get you some medicine. This isn't normal."

"I'm not sick. It's just..." Yuuri lowered his voice again. "I feel like I've found my soulmate."

"Really? At this hour?"

"As crazy as it is, I felt the pain inside. It's that pain everyone feels when they meet their soulmate. That's why my head is hurting so much. But I don't think it's him." He looked up at the roof to see the thief was gone. "Where did he go?"

Phichit followed his gaze and groaned. "Oh no, I missed him!"

"I'm sorry. I know you were looking forward to catching him in the act."

"You're far more important to me. I should get you somewhere safe so you can recover." Phichit stared at his phone and looked at the best photo he had of the thief. "I have a feeling it's not the last time we're going to see of him. The police aren't going to get him tonight."

"How are you so sure of that?"

"Thieves that dress like this are very confident and clever. They may want the attention but they also get away with their crimes. He's going to play with the police for a little longer. I promise we'll see him again."

"I hope I feel better when we do."

The pain was still digging away at him but Yuuri was able to think clearly again. He wanted to see this thief up close. He wanted to tell him that there was a possibility they were soulmates. This pain didn't come any other time. 

"Maybe I'm thinking too much. It could be one of the police officers is my soulmate too." He decided. "I haven't been around them much."

"It could be but there's no fun in that." Phichit pointed out. "Think about it. You and this mysterious phantom thief as soulmates! Can you believe that?"

"I don't want to believe that. Hopefully, this is the last time I feel something like this. If my soulmate does end up being a thief, I'd rather not get involved with him." 

"What if he wants to get involved with you? What will you do then?"

That hadn't occurred to him until now. "I...I'm not sure. I can just hope that he isn't my soulmate and I'm feeling it from something else. Maybe I'm just nervous." 

"You'll be fine. Now let's watch!" 

Yuuri hid back in the shadows and followed Phichit's gaze to the building. The tightening inside of him was getting stronger. He didn't want to believe in soulmates and he certainly didn't want a thief to be a soulmate. 

_I should relax. We're safe back here. I'm probably just overthinking things. I probably have nothing to do with him._

Yuuri had no idea just how wrong he was. 

~ ~ ~

V looked down at the police officers that had shown up tonight. They were not kidding when they said they would have every corner covered. There was no chance of him getting through the front door of a museum.

 _But that's why there's always a backdoor and a window._ He told himself. _Poor things. They failed to cover the most important part of the building. Oh well, that just makes things so much easier for me._

"The coast is clear, V." He could hear his accomplice say in his earpiece. He had quite a few people helping him but no one would know it. He did all the work out here. "You've got a short amount of time to get through that window. Don't worry. The cameras are down."

"That's good. When should I go in?"

"In a minute. I'll tell you when. Just be ready to get in." 

He admired the outfit that he had on. Most thieves would have tried to blend in with the night but not him. He wanted everyone to look at him. The coat he had one was adorned with gold accents and buttons. His accomplices all joked that he looked more like a pirate than a thief. In a way, he kind of was one. Pirates did steal treasures too. They were sneaky and did everything they could to get what they wanted. So while he might have looked ridiculous on the outside, he knew exactly what he was doing. This was what he wanted. He wanted people to pay attention to him. He knew they would laugh at him but that was good. It would make them vulnerable and his job would be easier. 

The message he had left behind was a very simple one. He didn't know if it would be enough to get anyone's attention but it did. People were talking about him and what was going to happen. He loved hearing every word and now it was time to put his plan into action. 

The Azure Wings were sitting in their glass case with no one to guard them. They were so beautiful and the exact color of his eyes. Gingerly, he touched the glass and ran his gloved finger across it. The artist had taken a lot of time putting this butterfly together. It might have been made of aquamarine but it was by far the most beautiful thing he saw. 

"You've been trapped in here for a long time. Now you will be mine." He whispered, feeling around and find the lock to the box. Humming to himself, he looked at the size of the lock and realized he had a pick that would work for it. "This silly museum doesn't have good security. You deserved so much better."

It took only five seconds to pick that lock and pull the box off. All the cameras and security systems were down so he could pluck that little butterfly off its velvet pillow and hold it to the light coming from the window. He could feel the smile forming on his lips as he stared it. He felt good and powerful all of a sudden. It reminded him why he had done this in the first place. He wanted the police to look stupid. He wanted to play around with them and steal things from under their nose. 

He tried to ignore that pain that was still buried deep in his chest. He had felt it when he was on the roof but couldn't pinpoint where it came from. However, he knew that he wasn't injured or ill. He knew how healthy he was deep down despite his stamina being lower than usual. This was a different pain and he knew what it was. Snowflake Through The Looking Glass was close by. He could sense it but it wasn't in the museum. Still, he couldn't ignore it. The more he tried to forget about it and push the pain away, the worse it got. It came to the point where he fell to his knees because it was hard to stand.

_Can it be? Snowflake Through The Looking Glass is here?_

This was not good timing for him. Snowflake Through The Looking Glass was that one treasure no one had been able to get a hold of. It was a jewel buried deep and had a million stories behind it. The legendary thief Eros had possession of it years ago but he never let anyone look at it. V heard every story and vowed that he would get a hold of it. Only he could do it because Snowflake Through the Looking Glass was inside someone. Not only that, it was inside of his soulmate. The greatest treasure of the world was in a person. 

_You're very close._ He realized, clutching his chest as the pain came back. _Oh God, please tell me you aren't a police officer! How can I take Snowflake Through the Looking Glass out then?!_

"What's wrong?" He heard his accomplice ask in his ear. "Are you hurt?"

"No." V whispered, rubbing his chest. "I will be fine. I just feel very sick right now. My head hurts as well."

"You better get out of there then. The police are coming up those stairs so you should run."

There was no need to tell him that twice. He was out of that room before anyone came in. He could hear them screaming after him but it was in vain. He was too fast for them. He zipped through the guards before they could even lay a finger on him. It was funny to watch them falling over each other. They were too slow to react to anything. All they could do was scramble around on the ground and demand that he stopped running. It wouldn't work. 

"Don't be too sad! We'll see each other again!" He teased the guards as he blew a kiss at them. "Until next time!" 

More people had been called to the scene but there was no point for reinforcement. There was still a tightening in his chest but he was running fast. He managed to evade the police and turned the corner, laughing to himself. This first heist was incredible. It was so smoothly that he felt he could steal more things. Was this how Eros felt when he stole things? Did he get this excitement every single time? No wonder he kept doing it for years. There was a rush to all of this. It made him feel alive. 

That excitement was dashed. He soon ran right in front of two young men coming in the opposite direction. Both of them were stunned and nearly fell over when they saw him. The darker boy almost screamed but then he kept his composure and tried to stay brave. The other man, Asian and looking frozen in place, was the one who had his attention. Something was drawing him to that man. He forgot everything at that moment. He couldn't help but stare into those deep brown eyes. 

_Shit._

"Uh, we better go..." The young Asian man could barely get words out. He was having a hard time breathing just like V. The air around them was so thick but they knew it had nothing to do with the weather. It was a feeling they were both having inside. However, there was something else about the young man that felt so familiar. He couldn't let him go. 

"Don't run away! I won't hurt you!" He promised, giving them both a big smile. He had no intention to cause any harm. "I wanted to say hi to you. What is your name?"

Yuuri couldn't open his mouth but Phichit was able to hold out his hand and speak with no issues. "Hi, I'm Phichit Chulanont and this is my friend, Yuuri. It's very nice to meet you as well. We were just out for a walk and no we are headed home."

It was amazing how Phichit was able to stay cool. Yuuri felt like he wanted to crumble into a million pieces. He wanted to run away and never look back but something kept him down. It was a feeling that was deep inside of his chest that felt like wanted to break out. It felt warm at first but now it was cold. The worst part was that he couldn't stop staring at the thief. The bright blue eyes, that cupid bow shaped smile...the more he looked, the stronger the feeling got.

The thief caught sight of him and the smile disappeared. "What's wrong with you?"

"Uh, nothing!" Yuuri held up his hands and closed his eyes. The last thing he wanted was to offend a criminal. "I'm getting out of your way now!"

"I don't think so, Eros."

"Huh?" Yuuri blinked and saw that the thief was right in his face. He could see every pore on his face and smell that floral scent on him. "I, uh...I think you have the wrong person."

"You feel it, don't you?" He whispered. "I've always wanted to see you, Eros."

"My name is not Eros. I don't know what you want with me! Just please...go away." He whispered, looking at Phichit who was videotaping the whole thing. He seemed to sense nothing bad would happen but Yuuri was still scared. That feeling between them was getting stronger. He didn't want to believe this was his soulmate. It couldn't be his soulmate.

"Just tell me you feel it too." He touched Yuuri's chin. "Tell me and I will leave you alone...for now."

"For now?" Yuuri repeated, wanting to pull away from him. "I don't know who you are but I don't feel anything for you. I just..."

"What's going on back there?!" Someone yelled. 

That was enough to get the thief's attention and he stepped away. "I must run! Till we see each other again, Eros!" 

"That's not my name!" 

"Yuuri, we better get out of here too!" Phichit grabbed Yuuri's hand and began to pull him away from the scene. They were able to get out before anyone rounded the corner and hid for a few minutes. While waiting for the coast to clear, he had to ask one question. "What was that about?"

"I don't know." Yuuri whispered. "He kept calling me Eros. Who is that?"

"The only Eros I know of is Cupid but I doubt that's what he meant." Phichit whispered back. "Maybe we should do some research when we get back home. Maybe then we can figure out what he's really after." 

"I hope so."

The pain was starting to dissolve but he couldn't stop thinking about V. While he didn't know what V was talking about, the name Eros was very familiar. He had heard it before but what did it have to do with him? He never used that name for anything before. He didn't know anyone else with that name. It was a mystery that he would have to spend hours focusing on. 

_I don't know who you are but I have a feeling I'm going to find out._ He realized. _I just know one thing; you are the story of the century. One way or another, I'll discover your identity._

He looked up at the sky, knowing that V was somewhere out there. His soulmate was there and one day they would be together.


	2. A New Assignment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plot moves forward and starts thickening!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally managed to get Chapter 2 done of this fic! A thanks again to the lovely chuinny for allowing me to write a story based off her art! Thanks to everyone who is following this story as well. I know I'm a slow burning writer but I swear everything will make sense. Slowly but surely, it will all come together! If I've flubbed something or screwed it up, let me know. I'm feeling kinda sickish so that could happen and I will try to fix it.

Even though they got home around two-thirty that morning, Yuuri was not in the mood to sleep. He was wide awake and needed to do a little more research on who or what Eros was. Fortunately, Phichit had no desire to sleep either and was willing to flip through his phone for all kinds of information. He was probably more excited than his friend was. He came up with a million ideas on what had happened in the museum and where the thief would probably strike next. He even scrolled through social media in hopes that another notice had been put out. 

"I don't believe it! You're soulmates!" He gasped. "Oh, this is going to be the best story anyone has ever read! We'll get the Pulitzer prize for this!"

"Are you sure? Maybe I was so scared about being confronted that I imagined the whole thing. It really does feel like a dream."

"It might but you kept complaining about that pain in your chest. You kept rubbing it and wishing that you had taken medicine to calm it down. I know that pain, Yuuri, and it's not a pain that goes away with aspirin. I believe that is your soulmate and you have a job to find out who he is!"

"But I don't want to know who he is! He's a criminal! Why would I want to be the soulmate of a criminal?" Yuuri touched his chest. "I felt something else too. It's like something is buried deep inside of me and I never realized it until now. It gives me a warm feeling and it only got warmer when he got closer to me. What do you think it means?"

"You're falling in love with him?"

"Very funny." Yuuri turned back to his research and saw that the news had already spread stories about V stealing the Azure Wings. A few people had managed to get blurry photos of him as well and the police still wanted any and all information about him. Yuuri knew he could give them plenty to work with but he was also afraid. What if V found out and came after him? What if he hurt him? 

Then again, V had every opportunity to hurt him when they ran into each other. He could easily killed both of them if he wanted to but he didn't. He might have been a thief but he probably wasn't a murderer. He wanted Yuuri for some reason. He saw Yuuri as Eros and was attracted to him for that reason. 

"Listen to this." Phichit cut in. "V has left another note to the police, thanking them for letting him take his prize. He left his signature weird smiley on it too. Who smiles like that anyway? Who has heart-shaped smiles?"

"You think it's a heart-shaped smile?"

"That's what it looks like to me. That's what the police are calling it as well; the signature heart-mouth. Anyway, he claims he'll give The Azure Wings back to their rightful owner when the time is right. I'm not sure when that is but I did find out something interesting. I found an article that says The Azure Wings actually belonged to an old lady who lived in America during The Great Depression."

"That's a long time ago."

"Tell me about it. Anyway, this was one of the few riches she still had left after she lost everything else. A thief stole that years ago and it hadn't been recovered until recently. Someone gave it to the museum for safekeeping but the late woman's family wanted it back instead. I guess there was some dispute and her family was unable to get it back."

"So in other words, you think V stole this to give it back to that woman's family?" 

"It makes sense but why does he care that much? Is he related to that family? Is there something else that he hasn't told anyone? I do know one thing though; he's planning to strike again. He left the police another note saying that he was going to come back one day. He'd leave them instructions when and what he planned to steal." 

"And let me guess; you want to follow him again."

"Don't you? That's your soulmate! If it were me, I would be looking at every corner for him! In any case, you still want to know Eros is, right? You want to know why he called you that."

Yuuri went back to the computer. "I've found a few things about Eros but I don't think it's what he's referring too. There's Cupid, of course, but I doubt I'm supposed to look like him. Then there's a kind of love called Eros. It's like a sexual, sensual love. They defined it as pure pleasure buried deep in a person." 

"So he thinks you're love?"

"I don't know what he thinks I am." Yuuri murmured. "As much as I hate to admit, you're right. We have to follow him. Not because he's my soulmate but I need to know who he is. I need to know why he cares so much about this. Why did he make me feel this way? Who is Eros and why do I remind him of that? He's the only one who can answer those questions."

Phichit grinned. "I like where all this is headed. If you find out information about him, you'll know your soulmate and you'll have the story everyone wants to read. This has been the best thing that has happened to us in a long time!"

"I don't know if it's the best thing but it's certainly the most interesting." Yuuri agreed, starting to feel tired. "We should probably get to bed. We have a meeting in the morning and I don't want to be late for that."

"You go on ahead. I'm going to see if I can find out anything else about Eros. I've seen mostly articles on Cupid and that love thing but nothing else. Don't worry. I'll figure it out."

They said good night to each other as Yuuri got ready for bed. It was going to be hard to sleep because he could still see V's bright blue eyes in his mind. Somehow, the moment they locked eyes, the thief seemed to soften up. He seemed to sense that Yuuri frightened so he tried to make himself appear approachable. It was though he was trying to be his friend. He clearly wanted something but did not reveal what it was. Regardless, Yuuri was going to stay on his guard from now on. He would keep the doors and windows locked in case V had some crazy idea to find him. 

_Then it's true. We must be soulmates._ He realized. _He felt what I felt but I still don't know who he is. How can I be soulmates with someone that I don't know? Maybe I don't even want to know him. He's a criminal and I don't want to be someone who steals things. How could we even live together? He'll end up in jail sooner or later. We would never be able to make it as a couple._

Try hard as he wanted to, he couldn't forget about the pull in his chest. He didn't feel that around anyone else. That feeling still lingered deep down until he finally fell asleep and dreamed about V. Those eyes were so soft and framed with thick eyelashes. He had a desire to pull off the mask and get a better look at him. In the dream, he did reach out but was unable to pull the mask off. It seemed as though it was stuck on V's face. When he finally take it off, he didn't see anything. The image of V turned into one of darkness and then vanished into a pile of smoke. Then he heard someone laugh at him but he didn't know who it was. V was gone and he still had no idea who it was. 

The dream was still fresh in his mind when he headed out though he didn't tell his friend about it yet. Right now, both just wanted to make it to their building in one piece. Phichit and Yuuri were able to make it work on time though both were exhausted. Their night of research turned out to be unsuccessful. The only things they could find out about Eros was Cupid and the things about love. Somehow, that couldn't be what V was talking about. He looked at Yuuri when he addressed him as Eros and Yuuri didn't seem himself as Cupid or the embodiment of love. 

"Well, the whole world has heard about him now but guess who else is being talked about?" Phichit said as they made their way inside. The two of them worked on the fifth floor of this building with their desks across from each other. It was a good place because it was beside the window where they could see everything. The city was gorgeous early in the morning and it was nice to look out that window while they were working. All the light that came in through there made the whole place feel more open and warm. 

"Who?"

"The one and only Victor Nikiforov! Don't you remember him?"

That was a silly question to ask as Yuuri could never forget Victor. He had grown up idolizing him and wanting to skate in the same rink as Victor one day. If it hadn't been for his injuries and the anxiety, they probably would have skated in the same place. Sadly, it wasn't meant to be and now Yuuri could only admire him from the distance. Nonetheless, he still got excited any time he heard any news about Victor.

"That's right! He's probably planning something for the new season. What are they saying?" 

"All I know is that his new routines are supposed to be amazing. He hasn't talked too much about it but he did say they'll be like nothing he's done before. Everyone is already certain he's going to take gold in everything." 

"That won't be surprising at all. Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll ask to cover one of the skating events." 

"Oh, that would be great but you know what would be better?! If we were the ones who unmasked the phantom thief!"

"Phichit, no..."

"Why not? It would be more exciting than anything else we've done!" 

"Then that means I have to look at... him again! What am I going to say the next time we meet? What if he wants to be more than just soulmates? I don't even know who he is." Yuuri sighed. "Hopefully, we don't have to deal with him anymore."

The two didn't have a chance to put their things away when Kenjirou Minami, a young intern who started two weeks ago, bounded up to them. Unlike the rest of the office, Minami was hyper and ready to tackle the day. He didn't even need caffeine to keep him on his toes. He was also Yuuri's biggest fan from the days of figure skating. Yuuri usually ignored everything the younger boy said though he couldn't forget that ketchup-colored streak in his hair. Everyone else called Minami a chicken nugget because he was small and his hair reminded them of condiments. Secretly, Phichit and Yuuri also called him that. It didn't seem to bother him though. He was flattered that people in the office had given him a nickname. 

"Oh my God, Yuuri! I saw it! I saw your blog post this morning! I can't believe you had a chance to meet the infamous phantom thief!" Minami exclaimed. "I would have been so scared if I was you but you weren't! You're so amazing! I wish I could be like you one day!" 

"What are you talking about? What blog post?" Yuuri asked, trying hard to ignore Minami's bouncing. "I didn't write..." Then he turned to Phichit who was looking sheepishly in the other direction. "You didn't!"

"I'm sorry! I got excited and inspired last night so I wrote a tiny blog post about our adventures!" Phichit explained. "I just posted it an hour ago and I didn't think anyone would read it."

"A lot of people read the blog! Now everyone knows that we went chasing after him!"

"Calm down, Yuuri! It's just a blog post. We're allowed to keep blogs and we can talk about whatever we want in them. Besides, if you want to change anything in it, you can do that. You have the password to that blog too."

Yuuri groaned as he sat down at his desk. In addition to their day job, he and Phichit now had a popular blog called 'Three Hamsters, A Dog, and A Blog'. The mascots of that blog happened to Phichit's hamsters and Yuuri's late pet poodle, Vicchan. Vicchan had passed away a few months ago but his picture was still up online. They didn't dare change the name of the blog or remove the pictures as it was nice to have his memory around. In the blog, they usually talked about the places they went to and the things they saw. On the rare occasion, they would review the latest movies or shows that came around. The last thing they needed to talk about was their little adventure from last night.

"Great, now everyone knows what we did!" Yuuri sighed. 

"That's not all!" Minami exclaimed. "The boss is a little upset you went off on your own but he was impressed with the writing. You both apparently have a lot of guts. He was going to bring it up in the meeting but I couldn't keep it a secret any longer! I just had to tell you what your new assignment is going to be!"

"You already know?" Phichit asked, not upset at all that people had read his blog post. "Well, don't keep it a secret any longer. What is it?!"

"You two are going to be assigned to cover V's next heist!" Minami nearly exploded and jumped thirty feet into the air. "He thinks you can get the story that the world wants! Isn't that great?!"

"Oh wow!" Phichit couldn't believe his good luck. "That's amazing! Isn't that great, Yuuri?"

Yuuri forced himself to smile. "That's fantastic."

The meeting later confirmed all of his fears. Their supervisor wasn't pleased that they had put themselves in harm's way but the writing impressed him. He felt that they could get more information about this phantom thief and what his true intentions were. Whenever the next note came in, he wanted them to be there.

"I can't believe it! He wants us to cover this! Now we can find out who your soulmate truly is! Aren't you excited?"

"Thrilled."

Despite how unenthusiastic he sounded, a part of Yuuri was curious about his soulmate. There was something about those eyes that seemed very familiar. It wasn't the fact that they were blue eyes. Multiple people had blue eyes including his idol, Victor Nikiforov. It was what he saw in those eyes that drew him closer. He tried to deny that feeling but it was there. As much as he hated to admit, maybe V had a point. Maybe they were soulmates and were meant to be together.

He just didn't how on earth he could ever be with a thief. 

~ ~ ~ 

It was about seven in the morning when the alarm clock went off and Victor Nikiforov was greeted with the scratchy, wet tongue of his beloved poodle, Makkachin. The previous night had gone smoothly for the most part but a small detour almost changed everything. He almost didn't want to get out of bed even though the sunlight was pouring through the window blinds. He wanted some more sleep and would stayed in if it weren't for Makkachin nudging him and whimpering. She wanted to go out for a morning walk and no one else had taken her. Victor was already an hour late for his morning practice so he figured he could take her out. His coach, Yakov, would just have to deal with it. He should have known better than to schedule something so early. 

"Okay, okay, I'm up." He sat up as Makkachin got off the bed and went to get her leash. She knew just how to tell people what she wanted. "Let me get dressed and I will take you out."

Makkachin dropped the leash at the foot of his bed and let out a happy bark. She had missed her master last night and was glad that he was around this morning. When Victor came home, Makkachin was already asleep on his bed. She waited up for him in hopes that he'd come back early. The tiny detour held him up. He could still recall that pain in his chest and the look on that young man's face. The whole thing still felt like a dream and he wondered why he would dream such a thing. 

Eros.

The young man had no idea what he was talking about but his resemblance to Eros was uncanny. He also had no idea that the treasure Victor was seeking was locked inside of him. The only thing he seemed to be aware was that they were soulmates. They were both feeling the pull inside and that just made Victor's job a lot harder. Leave it to Eros to lock his greatest treasure in the one place no one would think to look. He was a clever thief and no one had been able to reach his status. 

Until now, that was. V had caught everyone's eye and social media was alive with talk about the heist. People with blogs were writing all kinds of posts regarding this. Everyone wanted to know who he was and why he was doing this. Police were baffled as to how he slipped through their fingers. They did promise to have extra security at the next heist and were prepared to catch him next time. Victor had to laugh when he saw that part. The poor police had no idea who they were dealing with. They were in for a ride. Stealing the Azure Wings was just the beginning. 

Victor turned on the warm water in the bathtub as he thought about what went down. Besides the pain in his chest, he was a little sore in his joints. His stamina wasn't as great as it used to be. He was fast, all right, but he was also older than Eros had been. It didn't help that he was a figure skater and spent a good chunk of his day at the rink. That alone made him exhausted but he forced himself to stay up late. He had to do this. He had his reasons. This was something he had planned with a few other people and had sworn them to secrecy. Together, they were going to pull off some of the best heists out there. 

The one thing he didn't expect to find so soon was Snowflake Through the Looking Glass. It was something almost no one had laid their eyes on. They only knew it existed because Eros had taken it. However, when Eros disappeared into the night, so did his greatest treasure. People searched for both of them for the last few years but neither had been found. Not until now, that was. 

_I was sure Eros was dead. Everyone said so._ He thought as he got into the shower. The warm water felt nice on his skin and would help ease the pain in his muscles. The water so good that he didn't want to get out. There was no need to go to practice now. All the same, he didn't want to fall behind on it so he got cleaned up and dressed for the day. 

His phone went off and he picked it up without seeing who it was. There was a 90% chance that his coach, Yakov, was calling to ask where the hell he was. He was an hour late to practice and they had to get his new programs ready for the next season. Yakov had no reason to worry though. Victor always ten steps ahead of everyone else and he would be ready well ahead of schedule. Then he would win his competitions and answer all interview questions and go back to his life as usual. 

"Hello, Yakov! I'll be right there!" He answered the phone, trying to stifle a yawn.

"Well, I'm sure Yakov will be happy to know that." Christophe Giacometti, a fellow figure skater and one of Victor's friends, was on the other end. "Let me guess; you're late because you overslept. The only reason you've overslept is because you were up last night. How are you going to explain that to your coach?"

Victor laughed. "You don't need to worry, Chris. I can tell Yakov anything and he'll believe me."

"Oh, he'll believe if you said you were sleeping with a beautiful woman last night?"

"Chris!"

"I didn't think so." Chris laughed. "I tried that excuse once. No one believed me. I didn't even it believe myself. Anyway, mon ami, you are what everyone is talking about on the front page of every paper. Social media can't stop talking about you. You're famous!"

"Wasn't I already famous?"

"You know what I mean. I'm not talking about Victor Nikiforov, legendary figure skater and world champion. I mean, he's still famous too and people are still looking forward to what you bring next season. But he's the...number seven trending topic on social media. A certain someone else is number one and I think you can guess who." 

Victor didn't even need to look in social media to know what the number one topic on social media was. He had a feeling a good chunk of people were trying to figure out his identity. The police were probably desperate to know when he would strike next. More than anything, his soulmate was probably trying to figure out who he was. Either that or that Eros lookalike was in complete denial. 

"In any case, we're planning the next one. Does two days from now sound good? That'll give us time to put everything together." 

"I can do it in two days. What are we going after now?"

"I'm trying to narrow the choices down but I think I found the perfect one. Now be warned that this heist will be different. You can't show off like before. This time, we have to be more...careful and silent." 

"Careful and silent." 

"You'll see what I mean. Do you have time after practice to talk?"

"I do. Even though Yakov will try to make me stay late for missing the early morning practice, I'll get out of it." He grinned, his mind already plotting the next heist. Even though he had no idea where it was or what he was after, he did like to think ahead of schedule. 

"Then I'll see you tonight. Oh, and before I go...you better check out this blog called Three Hamsters, A Dog, and A Blog. There might be something in there that might be of interest to you. Judging from what you told me yesterday, I think you'll be intrigued."

"What kind of blog is it?"

"You'll see. You're going to thank me for this when you see it. I'll talk to you later then! Until next time!" 

Once he hung up, he decided to check out the blog post that Chris had mentioned. Three Hamsters, A Dog, and A Blog sounded like the website of someone who liked showing off their pets. He didn't expect to see an article about his heist on the very front of it. It was a short piece but the writers were talking about everything they had seen. While they may not have been in the museum, they seemed to know what V had been feeling the whole time. They were able to trace his footsteps despite not knowing what he had done. 

However, that little bit wasn't the shocking part. He scrolled down a little further and saw the pictures of the blog owners. The cute cartoon hamsters and poodle were based off their real pets. The dog had apparently passed away a few months ago but it was the owner that Victor was more interested in. He almost didn't recognize him at first because he was smiling and hugging his toy poodle in his picture. The name under the picture was 'Yuuri' but it was the face that was familiar. No wonder Chris said that this would intrigue him. He recognized who it was almost immediately. This was not a dream. 

Eros was still alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think!
> 
> Tumblr @ fallsintograce


	3. Peek In the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A quick look in the past and strange feeling start to surface...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your support on this. I promise I will try to deliver on answers as quickly as possible. I swear I have a plan to all this and you will see it soon! A bit un-betaed but errors will be fixed! Chapter 4 will have more action!
> 
> Before I begin, check out this fan art neckromancer made me! Thank you! [Amazing fan art over here!](https://romancerofnecks.tumblr.com/post/167497472901/the-mysterious-v-from-graces-awesome-phantom)
> 
> Now after this chapter, I have to take a quick break to catch up with a bunch of other real life stuff. So the next update to this (or any of my fics) won't be for a while. I promise it will not be a long hiatus though. These other things are a bit more important right now. So yes, updates in general will slow down for this, both merman AUs, and the new fic I have. You'll know when I'll be back!

_Several years ago..._

No one was supposed to find him back in this alleyway yet that was where Victor had ended up. When he came around, he didn't remember much of what happened. One minute, he was winning the European Championships. The next minute, he was out here in the cold. He didn't see anyone else around him but felt a ton of pain all over his body. Licking his lips, he tasted blood in his mouth. It was dribbling down his chin and was all over his face. 

_Where am I? How did I get out here?_ He wondered, trying to sit up. It was hard because every bone inside of him hurt but he forced himself to do so. There was a faint burning smell around him. His nose was also bleeding and he could see that he had bruises on his knuckles. It looked like he had been in a fight. He just couldn't remember with who or why. He didn't who he had offended to deserve being beaten up. Was it something he said? 

"Help..." He managed to get out, voice very weak. Where was his coach? Where were his teammates? Who did this to him and why? "Help me..."

No one came to his aid so he had to find help on his own. He would have tried to walk if it weren't for the fact that his feet hurt. They weren't broken but he felt too weak to stand. Looking down, he saw strands of silver hair lying beside him. Long, silver hair. His hair. His stomach churned as he kept staring at those hairs. What was his hair doing here? 

_That's impossible. It can't be mine. It can't be..._ He reached behind and got a handful of silver hair in his hand. It had been cut off. His hair, one of the things people admired about him, was now in clumps. Who had done this?

_**Not so pretty anymore, are you?** _

He heard that voice in his head and suddenly parts of his memory came back. Yes, someone did cut his hair. They mocked him and dangled a few strands in his face. Yet that wasn't the worst thing that anyone could have done. He remembered a flame in front of his face. Someone kept waving their lighter in his face. He stared at that little light, knowing very well of the damage it could cause. Once again, he pleaded with the attackers not do anything. 

**_Cutting your hair would take too long. What else could we possibly do to it? How can we get rid of it quicker? Tell me, Victor, how do we get rid of your hair faster?_**

He was starting to remember pieces of the incident. He was leaving and suddenly was attacked for no reason. A couple of men came from around, called out his name, and he stupidly turned around to answer them. He thought they were fans but then they started to hit him. He tried to fight back but they were all bigger and stronger than he was. One punch to the nose and he was already down. Then they all piled on top of him and used him as their punching bag. Each blow felt worse than the last. He kept begging them to stop and even offered up his money and any valuables he might have had. If robbery was their motive, he was willing to pay any price. 

These guys weren't interested in money though. All they wanted to do was hurt him. He wanted to know why but no one answered him. They just laughed and kept hitting him. The whole ordeal probably lasted an hour yet it felt like an eternity. His cries for help weren't answered. If anyone had heard him, they completely ignored him and left him at the mercy of these creeps. He didn't know when they stopped because he fell unconscious after a while. It truly felt like he was going to die that night.

The burning smell had return so he reached around again and felt the remains of his hair. This time, he didn't clumps of silver hair but burnt bits of it. Suddenly, it hit him that whoever did this hadn't cut it off. They had burnt some of it as well. He was just lucky that it was the ends of his hair that were burned off. The rest of his scalp felt fine. He had a headache but that would go away. If he had been a fight, he obviously didn't win. Now he was lying in alley with no idea who had hurt him or why. All he wanted to do was get inside and get some help. Where was his phone? Where was everyone?

"Help..." He tried to call out again, spitting out on the ground. "I need help!"

Something landed nearby and he turned around. "Are you..."

"Who's there?!" The other person demanded. "Who are you?"

"Please help me. I don't know what happened..." Victor managed to get out. "I need..."

The man came over to him and took one look at him. "I know you! You just won the European figure skating competition! What are you doing out here?" He looked at what had happened to Victor's hair. "Oh, who could do this to you?! This is just cruel! I'm amazed you're still alive!" 

"I don't know. Who are you?"

"Don't worry about that! I need to get you to a doctor! Where did your coach and teammates go?"

Victor wanted to say some more but his vision was getting blurry. The man scooped him up in his arms and carried him away from the scene. He kept falling in and out of consciousness so the scenes were all blurry. However, he still remembered the face of his savior. He remembered the pale skin and brown eyes staring down at him. He felt safe in this person's arms. 

"How can I thank you?" He remembered asking. 

"You don't have to thank Eros for anything. Just get better."

Victor fell asleep at that point but he never forgot that name. When he woke up, he was surrounded by people. Yakov was demanding to know what had happened and who had done this. His fellow skaters were shocked to see that he had been beaten up and his hair been chopped and burned. Everyone said that he was lucky he was still alive. Besides being beaten up, he didn't suffer any major injuries. He would be healed in time for the next competition. His long hair was gone but that was no big deal. Hair could grow back. Bruises could fade away and cuts could heal. Yakov would find those attackers and make sure that they paid. 

As for Victor, he didn't think much about the name Eros until later when he heard about Eros stealing something from the museum. When he saw the place, he realized it looked familiar. It wasn't too far from where he had been found. From that day forth, he became obsessed with finding Eros. He wanted to know who his mysterious savior was. Why would a famous thief like Eros save him? Wasn't he worried about getting caught? More than that, it was the feeling he got when he was in Eros' arms. He didn't think much about it at the time but now he was certain that this man was his soulmate. Now he had to find him again.

Unfortunately, Eros disappeared as quickly as he appeared. One day, he just stopped everything and no one was sure what happened. He didn't leave any kind of message saying where he was going. The thefts just ended so the police assumed that Eros was no more. They were never able to find him nor were they ever able to find his greatest treasure. The world was looking for Snowflake Through the Looking Glass. A large reward had been offered for it but it hadn't been found. It was the only thing that Eros stole that had never been recovered. After years of searching, everyone assumed that Eros had passed away. Life went on like normal.

Victor had changed since that day. He felt like he had been woken up from a long dream and he had a new purpose. He knew that his soulmate was still out there. He should have forgotten about him like everyone but he couldn't. Somehow, Eros had inspired him. His skating changed completely. As soon as he healed, Victor Nikiforov was an unstoppable force on that ice. He had grown up after that incident. He even looked older with shorter hair and more mature air about him. He was starting to win competitions again and he had overcome that horrible night. The only thing he didn't have was Eros. No one could see it but he was missing something in his life. It was something that only his soulmate could give him. 

He did make a vow though. It didn't matter what it took; he was going to find Eros as well as his greatest treasure. He would get Eros' attention again and find out who he really was. He would thank Eros for saving him that night and for giving him more reasons to live. 

One day, he would find his soulmate again. 

~ ~ ~ 

Yakov did have a lot to scream about when Victor finally showed up. He went into the usual lecture about how irresponsible Victor was and how important the upcoming season was. Over in the corner, Yuri Plisetsky was smirking and enjoying the show. Yakov had spent the last couple of days yelling at him so it was nice to see someone else get the blame.

"I sincerely hope you take these competitions seriously." Yakov finished off. "I don't know what has gotten into you. Sleeping late, coming to practice late, not paying attention to anything...what is wrong with you, Vitya? I thought this mattered to you."

Victor just waved all of this off. Yes, skating mattered to him. It was the one thing he knew how to do and he could do it well. He worked hard and earned all his medals and accolades. However, things had changed for him. Skating was still fine but the excitement wasn't there anymore. He was winning competitions but it just felt like another day for. Another day, another medal, another round of interviews to do and banquets to go to. There was no spark anymore. He was skating only because it was all he knew how to do. He never wanted to get tired of it and he was.

However, that look in Eros' eyes had brought some of the spark back. It was true that no one knew what Eros really looked like. Some people had their ideas. Many thought he was the most handsome creature on the planet. Others thought he was too ugly to show his face in public. In Victor's mind, he imagined Eros to be devastatingly handsome. He saw Eros with pale skin and warm brown eyes. He had a face that could deceive anyone and that was why he got away with everything. He charmed everyone in his sights and disappeared before they knew what hit them. 

That was the kind of face that Yuuri Katsuki had. That picture on the blog on him holding that tiny poodle said it all. He looked like an angel but could probably turn into the devil if he wanted to. That night, Yuuri was acting like he had no idea what was going on. He looked so confused and frightened. The poor thing was probably in denial about his soulmate. He felt those pulls but wanted to pretend they came from somewhere else.

"Concentrate, Vitya!" Yakov yelled from the sides. "Take your head out of the clouds and focus!"

"Heh, serves him right." Yuri smirked, taking a sip of water from his bottle. "That's what he gets for staying up so late."

"Yura, please, he's been working a lot at night." Mila whispered to him. She knew very well what had been going on. In fact, everyone but Yakov and his ex-wife Lilia knew what was going on. There were good reasons why Victor was so late to everything. "Don't forget about our meeting."

"Whatever. I can't believe you convinced me to be part of this." Yuri grumbled. "I really hope this idiot doesn't get himself caught."

"He won't. As long as we're looking after him, nothing will happen. Sara will help provide a distraction this time around. If anything goes wrong, she'll be the first one to know."

"Yeah, that's great and all until that idiot brother of hers gets in the way. What will we do about him?"

"Don't worry. I have a backup plan of Mickey ends up ruining things." She looked up and saw that Yakov was ready to yell at them. He had done enough screaming at Victor and now he needed to get the rest of his skaters in line. "Uh-oh! Quick, get on the ice and act like nothing happened."

"You two! Stop loafing around and get out there!"

"Yes, Coach Yakov!"

"Pfft, we're going!" Yuri grumbled. "I'm so tired of his nagging." 

Victor looked over at them and nodded. He had gotten a message earlier from Chris saying that the meeting time and place had changed. He had also sent out the latest notice to the police and now social media had spread it around. Despite websites trying to get rid of it, it was still being seen by others. People were now talking about it. No doubt about it that Eros would have seen this too. He made sure to leave a special message to him. 

_"Are you sure about this?"_ Chris had asked him earlier. _"No one really knows who Eros was. All we've got rumors and what people have said. How are you even sure this is him? You don't want to go after an innocent man."_

No, Victor wasn't 100% sure but something inside told him this was the legendary thief. Not only that, the greatest treasure of all was hidden in him. The feeling inside was enough. Soulmate. Eros. Snowflake Through The Looking Glass. All of it was tied to Yuuri Katsuki. It couldn't be since Yuuri wasn't old. In fact, he was only three years younger than Victor. It was mentioned on the blog that he ran with his friend. If Yuuri truly was Eros, he would have been too young. The man that saved Victor was much older. He was so sexy, mysterious, and charming. This Yuuri Katsuki was cute and looked friendly but didn't have much charm based on his picture. He also looked very scared and meek when they met. Yuuri insisted that he wasn't Eros and he was probably right about that. So why did he look so much like him? Why was that treasure stuck deep in him? It just didn't make sense. 

The only thing he was sure about was that he had to see Yuuri again. He had to get down to the truth. He needed to lure Eros out and tell him how he truly felt. Above all else, he needed that treasure. 

And he was going to get it. 

~~~ 

The morning at the paper started off kind of slow for everyone. It was a good day to sit back and do a little research on Eros. After the meeting, they had a little bit of a break where they could look things up. Too bad Minami was around. The chicken nugget was also on break and he was talking to anyone who was close by. It just so happened that Yuuri and Phichit were the ones who were close by. He was willing to talk about everything under the sun and he thought these two wanted to hear about it. 

It wasn't that anyone hated Minami. In fact, he was quite optimistic and fun to be around. He had no problem with running small errands for people and doing anything for them. Many times, Yuuri had sent Minami off to make copies or to get something to eat from downstairs. In a way, he liked having someone who admired him. He didn't get why Minami admired him but it didn't bother him too much. In some ways, it was cute. He had his own fan. 

However, today was one of those days that he didn't feel like talking about anything. Minami wanted to hear everything about the previous night and Yuuri just wanted to forget all about it. Instead, he was staring at his computer screen where he had multiple pictures of Victor Nikiforov on it. He was allowed to put what he wanted on the computer as long as it was clean and safe for work. As a result, he had a collage of most of Victor's pictures. The only ones he couldn't put were the ones where Victor was naked. He saved those for his computer at home. 

Right now, he was just staring at Victor's face while Minami was talking his ear off. There was something about his idol that was giving him a funny feeling. It wasn't the usual feeling of admiration but something deeper. It felt like he had seen him recently. True, he had been keeping up with the news yet that wasn't where the feeling came from. It felt like they had seen each other in person recently. That couldn't be true since the only place he had seen Victor was on the news. 

"Oh, you have to tell me what it was like!" Minami was going on. "Were you scared? Did he hurt you? If he hurt you, I can take care of him! Take me on your next assignment and I will handle him!"

"Um, I don't think that's a good idea..." Yuuri began.

"Why not? No one should hurt you! If they do_"

"Minami, can you do me a favor?" Phichit interrupted, seeing that Yuuri was done listening to Minami prattle on. He handed the younger boy some money. "Can you get me and Yuuri some coffee from downstairs?"

"Yes, yes, I can do that! Would you like anything else? A bagel? A muffin? A sandwich?"

"Just coffee will be fine." 

"Yeah, just get me coffee too." Yuuri added, grateful that Phichit had finally got involved. He was also hankering for some coffee so this was the perfect errand to send Minami on. 

"Cream and sugar for both of you? And you want a small cup, right?"

"You got it." Phichit waved him off. "Thanks a ton, Minami."

"No problem! I'll be back as soon as I can!"

"Take your time!" Yuuri yelled after him. Once the younger boy was gone, he turned to Phichit. "Thanks! I think I didn't think he'd ever leave. I really hope he doesn't try to come with us on our next assignment. It's bad enough we have to chase after to this guy."

"On the other hand, it'll be fun! We are going to witness a heist before our eyes and we're going to be paid to do it! What if he talks to you again?"

"I would really like it if he stayed away from me. I don't know what I could say if I faced him." Yuuri looked over at his computer screen and stared at Victor's soft blue eyes. They were nothing like the blue eyes of the phantom thief he had run into. Victor's eyes made him feel good when he stared into them. He felt a warmth from them. The phantom thief's eyes were mysterious but colder. This was not someone he wanted for a soulmate.

They worked for a few more minutes longer until Phichit spoke up again. "Well, this is something I didn't expect to find!"

"What is?"

"Remember our talk about Eros last night? Well, I found something that could be of interest to you. Granted, this is coming from a gossip site so take it as you will. Someone is claiming that all of this happened to their father years ago. Their father was apparently walking his dog one night when he heard a noise from the bushes. He thought it was an animal at first but the dog started to bark. When he went to investigate it, he found a person who was hurt. Despite wanting to help, the person got up and ran away. It wasn't until he realized that the hurt person was none other than a legendary thief named Eros."

Yuuri blinked. "Eros?"

"Yup, that's the name he went by. He was apparently a legendary thief back in the day but no one ever found out who he was. People tried for years to unmask but they always failed. He was supposedly one of the greatest criminals of all time. No one knew how he was able to get in and out of places without being caught. He committed a string of thefts until one night he just disappeared. The thefts just stopped and people assumed that he had either gotten tired or he had passed away. Police just remained baffled by the whole thing. They continued to chase after him after the thefts ended but stopped when they found nothing. Since then, no one has tried to figure out the mystery behind his identity."

"Maybe that's what he meant by Eros. It makes a little bit of sense." Yuuri realized. "Still, why would he call me that? No one knew what Eros looked like."

"Something about you probably reminded him of Eros. Maybe it was the way you moved or something you said."

"So he thinks I'm a thief? Is that the only reason he's interested in me?"

"I don't know. The only way we're going to find that out is if we run into him again. What do you think he's going to steal next?"

Before Yuuri could answer, Minami came back with their drinks. He was still as excited as ever as he tried to catch his breath. "I'm sorry I took so long! There was a huge line and people were talking about the latest notice from V! Have you seen that yet?"

"Another notice?" Phichit asked. "You mean he's already delivered?"

"Yup! Don't worry, he's not striking tonight but he wants you to be prepared. I bet they mentioned it on the news so you should check it out." Minami said, handing Yuuri his coffee. "I can't wait to see what you write about next!"

Once Minami was gone, Yuuri went over to Phichit's desk to see what the newest notice was. He didn't need to ask for anything. Phichit would already be on the hunt for it. Sure enough, all the local news outlets were talking about it. The notice was supposed to be kept a secret but someone had leaked it and social media was now spreading it around. 

**Two nights from now, at midnight, I will steal The Sapphire Crescent Pendant. ' ♡ '**

**-V**

**P.S. I look forward to seeing you again too, Eros. *kiss***

"He still made that face at the end of message. A heart-shaped smile. That must be his signature." Phichit said. "I have no doubt we'll be asked to cover this one. He really wants to see you as well."

"No, he wants to see Eros. I am not Eros." Yuuri sighed. "I don't know why he thinks I am but I have get that through to him. He's mistaken me for someone else." 

"Well, when you see him again, you should tell him that. Tell him you're not Eros and that should be the end of it." 

"That sounds easier to say than do. I got so scared the last time I looked at him. I didn't know what he was going to do. What if he does hurt us next time?" Yuuri shuddered. "Should we even bother showing up?"

"We were given an assignment. If nothing else, we should try to get some information from this." Phichit suggested. "Don't worry. I'll be with you the entire time. In the meantime, I'm going to search more about this Eros here. There's got to be something else besides these few articles about his heists. Maybe there was an eyewitness to some of these heists or something. We'll figure this out."

"I know."

All of this was making some sense but Yuuri couldn't understand why anyone would think he was Eros. Eros sounded like he was much older for one thing. Yuuri himself would have been too young during some of these heists. It had to be someone else and this mysterious V just needed to leave him alone.

As Phichit did his research, Yuuri decided to do his favorite thing and read up on Victor Nikiforov. The latest news didn't say much except that the world was looking forward to Victor's skating this season. However, one article did stand out and it came from a long time ago. Victor was still skating as a junior back then. He remembered this incident because he couldn't sleep when he heard about it. After winning the European championships, Victor had disappeared for a while. No one could find him for hours and everyone feared for the worst. When Victor was found, he had been beaten up with his beautiful silver hair cut up and burned. His face was swollen, his lip busted, and he looked so broken up. Yuuri was relieved he had been found alive but it hurt to see his idol this way. Who could ever hurt Victor Nikiforov? He was still very young and hadn't done anything to anyone. 

People speculated that Victor had been attacked by fans of other skaters though no one had proof. Robbery was also considered a possible motive except Victor still had all of his valuables and money with him. The men who attacked him never told him why they were hurting him. They just kept hurting him until they were done and left him in the alleyway. As for Victor himself, he didn't remember much of the attack. He remembered begging them to stop and feeling scared. He also remembered that he had been saved by someone. 

_"Who saved you?"_ A reporter asked. _"Do you remember anything about the way they looked? What did they say to you? Do you know anything?"_

Victor managed to give him a smile and answered the question with ease. _"I do know the name of my savior. That's all I can say."_

_"And can you tell us the name?"_

Yuuri felt his heart skip beats as he read Victor's reply to the question. It was the last thing he had expected to see and the part of this interview did not remember. Yet here it was and it was making him feel strange inside. Victor only said one word and it was making him shake. 

_"Eros."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think!
> 
> And come say hi to me on tumblr @ fallsintograce!


	4. Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we find out that there are some secrets being kept...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear I was going to update my Spy AU, "Inching Closer To the Scorpion's Tail", but I ended up working on this instead. (I swear I will get back to that soon). I thought I would be writing the heist chapter but there was an important thing I needed to get out here first. Next chapter is another heist, promise! 
> 
> Thank you to all who continued to comment, kudos, and follow this fic along. I promise I will try to keep a steady updating schedule and everything will eventually make sense! I will be traveling in about two days so updates might get slow (my laptop at home isn't the best although it's good enough to write with and all). But all the same, I will try to work as much as much as possible!

Later that night, Yuuri got a chance to talk with his family and friends to let them know how things were going. It was good to see all of them again. His parents and sister hadn't changed much in appearance. Then there were his friends Takeshi and Yuuko Nishigori with their three girls as well as his former ballet teacher, Minako. All of them wanted him to know they were proud of him and if he was doing anything interesting.

"Work is the same. Phichit and I are always busy. They've given us new things to work on." He told them. "There isn't very much going now."

"Really? Not even the whole incident with the infamous phantom thief." Axel leaned in close.

"We know what you've been doing, Yuuri!" Lutz added.

"Is he as cute as he looks in pictures?" Loop wanted to know. "I bet he is. Have you kissed yet?!"

Yuuri held up his hands. "I...don't know what you're talking about. Kissed who?"

"Oh, Yuuri. You were never good at lying." His mother sighed. "It's all right, dear. Everyone has already seen the pictures that your friend sent."

Phichit. Of course he would have sent those photos to everyone back home. Everyone knew about Yuuri and V and the little encounter they had. He couldn't try to play dumb any longer. "I'm sorry. I told Phichit that it was a bad idea but you know he likes to chase a good story. I swear I wasn't trying to run into him on purpose."

"Oh, Yuuri, don't apologize. Just be careful when you are out there." Yuuko told him. "He may not have done anything now but he could hurt you next time."

"What makes you think there will be a next time?"

"Please, Yuuri. You're doing a terrible job by pretending you don't know anything." Mari said. "Phichit already told us that you've got a new assignment to chase after this guy."

"Why am I not surprised that you know everything? I promise to be careful while trying to write this story. I won't confront him or anything."

"Then how can you get a story about him if you don't talk to him or follow him around? Just don't do anything stupid around him."

Everyone had encouraging words for him. Even his parents were proud of this. They told him that he was wonderful and they were rooting for him. Over and over again, everyone emphasized that he be careful when he was out there. The triplets wanted every bit of information he could find about the phantom; real hair color, real eye color, height, weight, and all the other bits in between. He didn't guarantee anything but promised to find what he could. He was going to keep his distance while getting his story at the same time. 

"One more thing before I go." He added. "Does the name Eros sound familiar to anyone?"

Things went quiet on the other side and he saw Yuuko looking over at everyone. "You forgot about that already?"

"Wait, you remember Eros?" Mari cut in. "Where? How?" 

"Oh, Yuuri!" Minako looked worried. "I didn't think you could forget that! Please tell me you didn't forget about Victor!" 

"I would never forget about Victor! I'm just curious what Eros has to do with that." 

"She's talking about those days when we used to watch Victor on TV." Takeshi reminded him. "Don't you remember what happened when he was young? He was attacked by some random guys who were most likely angry that he beat their top skater. They beat him and destroyed his hair. It was big news all over the world. You were very upset when you heard about that."

"No, I remember that part. It's the part about Eros that I don't remember. He mentioned that name to me."

"Oh yes, I remember! He was saved by Eros!" His father exclaimed. "Everyone talked about it! Even you couldn't believe that it happened!"

"So what happened to Eros? Everyone says he just disappeared."

"He did. He was the greatest thief of all time and then he was gone. No one knew where he went. They searched for days but he didn't leave anything behind." Yuuko said. "Victor insisted that's who saved him though not many people believed him. They thought he was still shaken by the incident and wasn't thinking clearly. Others thought that maybe all the medicine and drugs were messing with his head. Of course, the only one who knows what really happened is Victor. To this day, he still thinks Eros is the one who saved his life."

This was not helping him get any answers and it was starting to get late. "I see. Well, I have to go. I have work tomorrow and I'm waiting on Phichit to bring food."

"Take care of yourself, dear! Good luck with everything!"

He said farewell to everyone, got off, and thought about the conversation. Something was very odd when he was talking to them. They had told him the truth but he felt as though they were hiding something. They knew more than they were letting on. They knew more about Eros than he did. Whatever happened in the past, he had forgotten all about it.

_Why does that name sound so familiar to me? I feel like I know him. Still, he just disappeared and I never saw him. I just heard about him on the news. Then when I mentioned him to the others, they changed expressions on me. What's going on?_

Phichit came in at that moment with their food. "Well, I hope you want breakfast for dinner because I have free pancakes! Oh, I also managed to pick up chicken and waffles too."

"Chicken and waffles? We are really eating in style." Yuuri chuckled. "How did you manage to get free pancakes?"

"Well, the person in the front recognized me as one of the owners of Three Hamsters, A Dog, and A Blog and wants us to find out everything about our phantom thief. So we can eat over there for free as many times as we want. I'm telling you, there are some advantages to our new assignment. Apparently, everyone wants information on this guy." Phichit wrapped all the boxes that he had gotten and started to get out the plates and silverware. "I can't wait till the next heist."

"I'm more curious as to who Eros was and why he thinks I'm that guy. No one has ever seen Eros before except for Victor."

"That is true. A lot of people thought Victor was crazy or too high on medication when he kept saying that. Then when Eros disappeared, everyone stopped talking about him. No one else has seen him." An idea hit Phichit's mind. "You know, since Victor is the only one who saw Eros' face, maybe he can be of help. He is in town, after all. We shouldn't waste an opportunity."

"What are you suggesting?" 

"I think we need to pay Victor Nikiforov a little visit."

Yuuri nearly dropped his fork at that. "No, we can't! Victor is famous! He's a legend! Why would he want to talk to either of us?"

"You're Victor's biggest fan though!"

"Yes, but...I don't think he'll want to talk to me. I'm just a fan like everyone else. Even if he did, I don't think he wants to remember something terrible that happened to him in the past. That moment was pretty traumatic. Other interviewers have asked him about it and he's always brushed their questions aside. What makes you think he'll answer us?"

"It won't hurt to try. The worst he can do is decline an interview. Besides, he's the only one who can give you what you want to know about Eros. Since he's here, we might as well try to get something from him." Phichit pointed out. "I know you're nervous about all of this but you don't have to be. I'll be there with you."

"Are you sure? I don't want to bother him. He's in the middle of training and I don't want to take his focus away from that."

"A few minutes of the day won't hurt any of us. As of now, he's probably our best bet in finding out about Eros. We can try to catch him after his practice and see what he has to say. Maybe you can finally get that autograph and photo you've always wanted with him."

It was all very tempting and Phichit had a good point. If they could get a chance to talk to Victor, they could get one step closer to figuring out this mystery. At worst, Victor would say no. Phichit was clearly not going to back out and Yuuri secretly didn't want to either. It was something he had wanted to do for years. He wanted to talk to Victor about something, anything. 

"Okay, we'll go see him. However, if he doesn't want to see us, we won't force him to do anything."

They had a plan for all of this. They would wait outside of the rink where Victor practiced but they would go try to get his attention before he went in. They knew that he always started early in morning, no later than seven. He would enter through the back because no fans or reporters would be in that area. It was the easiest way to get in without being seen. Not only that, it would be easier to approach Victor if no one else was around. They would walk up to him and ask him if he had some time to talk. Then they could go somewhere quiet and ask him about Eros. It was very simple.

Come morning time, Yuuri had doubts. He did not like the idea of staking out an ice rink that his idol was practicing in. The smarter thing would have been to skate in the rink with him but the whole area was going to be used by all other skaters. The rink wasn't going to be open to visitors until the competition was over and everyone had left. So now they had to wait on Victor to show up. 

"What if we scare him?" Yuuri asked. "He might think we're trying to mug him or something. I still remembered what happened to him that one year. We have to be careful."

"Don't worry. One look at us and he will trust us." 

Yuuri was still apprehensive about this plan but it seemed to start off fine. Victor showed up at the back door around seven as expected. His pet poodle was walking right by his side but no one else was around. Calling out to him should have been easy but he couldn't do it. If it had been anyone else, he might have found the courage to say something. With Victor, it was a completely different story. Even though he was disheveled and looked exhausted, he was still quite handsome. Somehow, he could make such old workout clothes look like they were worth a million bucks. He was dressed like an ordinary civilian yet it was still too hard to approach him.

"What's wrong?" Phichit wanted to know. "He's right there."

"You get his attention! I can't do it!"

"Why not? This is your opportunity! You've always wanted to talk to him!"

"I don't know if I can. It's Victor! He's only a few feet away from me and I don't know what to say! How do I approach him? How can I ask him about something that traumatized him years ago? He probably doesn't want to talk about it anymore."

Unfortunately for both of them, Victor's poodle had noticed something in the corner and began to bark. Victor looked down at her and then looked at the direction she was barking in. He had a hard time holding onto her. "Hello? Is anyone there?"

"He spotted us! We have to hide before he calls the cops!"

Victor, however, didn't seem scared by them. "Oh, do you want a photo? No problem! You can come out! I'll be happy to take a photo!"

Phichit seized this moment and pulled Yuuri up on his feet. "Oh, thank you! I'm sorry we were spying on you but we just wanted to catch you before you went inside. We actually wanted to talk to you about something."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really. I guess we should introduce ourselves. My name is Phichit Chulanont and this is my friend, Yuuri Katsuki. We work for the local paper and_"

"Ah, I appreciate it but I can't give an interview now."

Yuuri tried to say hi but felt something tug inside of his body. There was that strange pull again. The last time he had felt it was that night but it was impossible. This was not some phantom thief but the Victor Nikiforov. These feeling had to be coming from somewhere else. He was trying to ignore it but it was the tug he felt near his soulmate. He closed his eyes and rubbed his chest, trying to soothe the pain. 

"Are you all right?" Victor asked him when he saw how uncomfortable he looked.

"Yes, I'm fine. I...uh...I need to know what you know about Eros!" He blurted out. 

"Yuuri!" Phichit exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to say it like that!" Yuuri apologized. "I don't why I did that! I know it's such a hard thing for you to think about but_"

Victor stopped him right there. That pull inside of him was also growing strong but he was doing a better job of ignoring it. "It's okay, Yuuri. You're not the first person to ask me about that. They want to know what happened that night and who saved me. I told them the truth but it didn't matter. Everyone thinks I'm crazy."

"We don't." Yuuri finally calmed down long enough to say that. "Eros was a real person, after all. You're the only one who ever saw his face."

"I barely remember it. I couldn't stay awake long enough but I do remember his eyes. They were brown just like yours." He looked at Yuuri and that pain came back inside of him. Something was drawing him closer. "Can we go somewhere else to talk about this?"

"I was about to suggest that. There's a little coffee shop around the corner. Not that many people go to it so I don't think you'll be mobbed by anyone." Phichit said. "Now I know it's a horrible experience and you probably don't want to think about it_"

"It's okay. I can talk about it now." Victor assured him. "It's been many years and I didn't want to think about it. I trust you though."

"You barely know us." Yuuri pointed out.

"True but I know I can trust you. There's something about you..." He murmured, looking at Yuuri. "You seem very familiar. Have we met?"

"I...I...I don't think so. You may have seen the things I've written or you might have seen our blog, Three Hamsters, A Dog, and A Blog." The pull between them was almost intoxicating. "We should get out of here! It's getting cold."

It was so hard to stay calm. Inside, he was screaming loudly because he was just a few inches away from his idol. It was Victor Nikiforov, living legend, in the flesh. He had a million questions to ask but he had to stay focused. He needed to know more about Eros. He needed to know what Eros' connection with all this was. Victor was willing to talk so maybe they could come closer to finding out the true identity of Yuuri's soulmate.

 _Why am I still feeling this pull? Is V around here? If so, where is he hiding?_ He wondered, yanking on his collar. _I have to ignore it, no matter how hard it is. I can't go chasing after him now._

Once they had their coffee and had found a place to sit down, Victor began to talk about the incident. "It's been so long but I still remember it like it happened yesterday. I just won the Europeans and I stepped outside to get away from interviewers and fans for a little bit. I was told not to go but I didn't listen. I didn't think it would be much but I was wrong." He sighed. "I was just standing outside when they showed up. They called out to me and that was when they attacked."

"So they just jumped you for no reason?" Phichit asked.

"Well, everyone says they were mad that I had won. They wanted to teach me a lesson. I kept begging them to stop but they didn't. They hit me and then starting cutting and burning my hair. It went on for a long time." He paused for a second, thinking about how he felt that night. He had been falling in and out of consciousness the whole time. He never saw the faces of his attackers but he still knew who saved him. "They finally stopped and just left me on the street. I was crying for help and that's when Eros showed up."

"And Eros was the one who saved you." Yuuri finished off.

"Yes, Eros saved me. He didn't have to but he did. I wish I could have talked to him more. I still remember his eyes. So deep and brown..." He murmured. "Then he just disappeared."

"Do you think he died?" Phichit asked.

"I don't know. I never heard from him after that night. I don't even know if he remembers me."

"So you are sure it was Eros?"

"I know for a fact. No one else believed me though." He looked disappointed. "I've tried to find him again but he never showed up. I want to thank him. All I know is that the day before he disappeared, he hid his greatest treasure somewhere in the world."

"His greatest treasure?" Yuuri asked. "What is that?"

"No one's ever seen it. They just know it was the most valuable thing he ever took. He hid it in a place that no one could find it. Others have tried but came up with nothing. Everyone's asked me what he was like but I don't remember that much. I just remember his eyes and the fact that he saved me when no one else would. I didn't know who it was until it was too late. No one believed me when I said it was Eros. The only person who didn't think I was crazy was my friend, Chris. I remember when he came to see me at the hospital..."

~ ~ ~

_A few years ago..._

As it turned out, the hospital was not the worst thing about the whole ordeal. It had that funny smell and awful food but Victor was used to it now. It was everyone else that bothered him. His family had come down to see him and were happy that he was all right. His coaches and trainers felt the same way. It was all these people asking questions that bothered him. The reporters never seemed to leave him alone yet not a single one wanted to believe him. Victor tried to convince them that he wasn't crazy and it wasn't the drugs talking. Yes, they had given him a lot of painkillers but he wasn't stupid. He heard Eros' voice and felt his arms around him. He regretted not being to ask more.

He didn't know why but there was something about Eros that made him feel comfortable. Everyone in the world was terrified of him. The police were desperate to get a hold of him. People feared for their valuables and their lives. Yet this Eros that saved Victor was not a dangerous man. Eros knew Victor needed help so he took him to the nearest hospital. It didn't matter if he was exposed or not. He was doing the right thing. 

_Why did you save me? You risked revealing yourself to me._ Victor wondered, thinking about Eros' beautiful eyes and face. _You could have left me out there but you didn't. Maybe you're not as evil as everyone says you are._

Reporters asked him all kinds of questions about Eros' identity but he didn't have much. He never asked for Eros's real name. The description he gave everyone wasn't good enough as there were many men with that appearance. A few people had drawn sketches but none of them came close to what Victor had seen. It was hopeless. Yakov vowed to keep a close eye on his best pupil while the police continued their search. They wanted something that could lead to either the arrest of these men or Eros. 

Now he was in bed, trying to recover from his injuries. He would heal in time and be back on the ice before anyone knew it. The police were after the men who had assaulted him but they had no leads. Not even Victor could remember much about them. He didn't know why they hated him so much to do this. It wasn't his fault that he won and did better than everyone else. Still, he felt guilty and didn't know what would happen later in his career.

There was a tiny knock at the door and he saw Christophe Giacometti standing in the doorway. He knew him from the competition but was still surprised to see him. He wasn't expecting any visitors outside of his coach and maybe a few reporters.

"I hope I'm not bothering you." Chris began. "I heard about everything and I wanted to see how you were doing."

Victor shook his head. "No, I'm not doing anything important. I'm bored actually. You're the first visitor I've had that isn't Yakov or someone asking me about what happened."

"You said you were saved by Eros. Is that true?" Chris sat down next to him. 

"Yes, but no one believes me. They think I was imagining things but I know what I saw." Victor sighed, reaching behind him and realizing his long hair was gone. It was so strange not tie that hair back anymore. At the same time, it also felt like a huge weight had been lifted off him. "I have to see him again."

"How are you going to do that?" 

"I'm not sure but I will find him. I have to."

"Really? He's not a good person, Victor."

"I hear that a lot but he's the reason I'm alive. I need to thank him. I don't know how I will do it but we will see each other again." He smiled at Chris, an idea forming in his head. "And you are going to help me."

"I am?" 

Victor nodded. If he wanted to find Eros, he couldn't do this alone. "You are. I hope you're prepared, my friend, because this is going to be fun!"

Chris sighed. "I was afraid you were going to say that. So what is the plan?"

Victor cocked his head to the side as he laid it out. "Well, here goes..."

~ ~ ~

_Present day, Hasetsu_

Yuuko was on edge when she thought about the last phone call she had with Yuuri. Now that he had asked about Eros, she was worried he was getting closer to the truth. It was a secret that she and Yuuri's family and friends kept between themselves. He was never supposed to find out what they had done. Eros was history. He had disappeared and no one talked about him anymore. Why was Yuuri bringing him up now? As far as anyone knew, Eros was dead. He was never coming back again.

"Why did he ask about that?" She wondered out loud. "Why does he want to know about Eros?"

"I'm not sure but I'm glad we didn't have to explain anything. It was close." Takeshi told her as they watched other people skate around in their rink. Despite being at work, neither felt like working. Yuuri wanted to know more about Eros. "I was afraid we would have to tell him."

"We do have to tell him eventually." Yuuko pointed out. "I know his family doesn't want us to do it. They didn't want to go through with it but they had to. This was something they planned years ago. I hate that we have kept it from him all these years but we had to. He would never be able to accept this. It was done to protect him."

"That's true but how long can they protect him? If he kept asking us, we'd have to tell him. I'm not even sure how we're going to do that."

"I just know one thing." Yuuko sighed, thinking about Yuuri and their close call. This secret would have to stay a little longer. "We need to tell him soon. It'll be better if he hears it from the people who care about him. It might be easier for everyone to deal with. The aftermath won't be as bad. He might be able to understand."

"Why not let him try to figure this out on his own?" 

Yuuko swallowed. "Because I know that as soon as Yuuri learns the truth, he is never going to forgive us."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Scream at me in the comments or at my tumblr @ fallsintograce!


	5. Intoxicated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dreams, dates, and suddenly things start to come together...or fall apart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, here comes a chapter right before the holidays. We start to move forward with things. Un-betaed cause it's late but I will fix things in the morning if needed. I was gonna save this for after holidays but...hey, I finished it so why not post now?! 
> 
> Thank you to all who follow along with this story, comment, kudos, etc. You keep me alive this way and warm the cockles of my black heart. A little holiday present for all of you!

_It was winter time and snow was falling all over the town yet Yuuri felt warm in this room. He didn't know where he was but he could tell what was going on. It was a party in the middle of the night. This room wasn't any room he was familiar with. He had never seen it before but there was something familiar about it. He had been here._

__

__

__Where am I? _He wondered, looking down at the polished floor tiles. He could see his reflection in them and it didn't look like him. The man looking back at him looked confident, wealthy, and too handsome for his own tastes. He looked up and couldn't see anyone he recognized. Who did this house belong to?_

__

__

__Why does this feel like my house? I feel like I know these walls and I've been here before. I just can't figure where this is.

_This was not any typical party. It felt like a ball that was taking place a long time ago. He didn't recognize any of the people here but he felt comfortable. He knew where he was yet he couldn't figure out the name of the place. Everyone was saying his name and he was bowing to them. Was he the owner of this castle?_

__

__

_"May I have this dance?"_

__

__

_He turned around to find the handsome masked stranger behind him. Dressed in white, purple, and gold, he looked like he was the one who owned this castle. His eyes were a brilliant blue and his hair reminded Yuuri of the moonlight. He also smelled wonderful, like a pine forest and rose blossoms in the middle of a winter storm. Yuuri felt intoxicated and drawn to him. Without thinking twice, he put his hand into the stranger's gloved one._

__

__

_"You may."_

_Then they danced like they were walking on air. Their feet felt light against the polished tiles and barely made a sound. Yuuri couldn't stop staring at the stranger's face and he wanted to see who the man behind the mask was. During the middle of the dance, he let go of the stranger and tried to reach up. The stranger grabbed him and squeezed that hand._

_"It's not midnight yet. I can't reveal myself to you. Besides, you have yet to give me what I want."_

_"What you want?"_

_"You have something, Eros." He purred in Yuuri's ear. "It's inside of you and I want it."_

_"I...I don't know what you're talking about." Yuuri tried to pull away but the stranger pulled him in closer. "Let me go! I have nothing! I don't know what you want!"_

_"Actually, you have the one thing I've been looking for. I do apologize that I have to do this."_

_That was when Yuuri saw the gun pointed at his chest. Now he was starting to worry and he needed to get out. He tried to claw away at the stranger's face. He wanted to pull off the mask so he could see who it was. He wanted to scream for help. There were people around them. Why was no one helping him? "No! What are you doing?! Let me go!"_

_The stranger's face went cold at that point, pointing the barrel of the gun at Yuuri's chest. "You have the greatest treasure on Earth, Eros. I want it. I'm going to get it."_

_Then he pulled the trigger._

_**BANG!** _

~ ~ ~

Yuuri opened his eyes and sat up in his chair to find the rest of the newspaper staff was staring back at him. He had no idea he had fallen asleep until he realized that his boss was giving him that look. It was a look of disapproval and annoyance.

"Welcome back, Katsuki. I'm glad you decided to join us for this meeting." He greeted him. "Had you stayed asleep, you probably have missed your next assignment."

"I'm sorry." Yuuri apologized, still reeling from his dream. "I didn't meant to doze off. I just..."

"You can save your excuses. Just get me a great story and I can overlook it. I know you've been asked to cover the Phantom Thief's heists but I do have something you can work on in between. This Sunday afternoon, there will be a charity event over at the Dowling Country Club. It will be a bit easier than what you are working on now. I just need you to cover everything happening over there. The only request they have is that you bring someone with you. Every guest is expected to have a date with them. You can ask one of your friends to come along."

"Oh, that's not a problem. I can take Phichit with me."

"Ah, that's the thing. Chulanont has a different assignment on that day. He'll be covering the Annual Hamster Bowl. But you don't need to worry; I'm sure you'll find someone by Sunday."

Of course Phichit wasn't going to turn down an opportunity to cover an event involving hamsters. Yuuri wasn't angry at him and he was relieved to get an easier assignment. Covering a charity event was better than trying to chase after some phantom thief. It wouldn't lead to an exciting story but it would keep him safe. Finding someone to go with him would be the hard part. He had no one that he knew that would be free on Sunday afternoon.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with me?" He asked Phichit once the meeting was over. "I really need someone at this party. I can't go into alone."

"Sorry, Yuuri. I can't say no to the Hamster Bowl. I've always wanted to cover that and now that I got my chance. Besides, there's someone else who will probably have more fun at that event that I would."

"Who?"

"Victor!" Phichit exclaimed. "I bet he'd like to go to that!"

"What? No!" Yuuri shook his head. "I can't ask Victor to go with me to this event! We barely know each other! Why would he want to go with me? There are probably a million other places he would want to be."

"Well, he did give you his number so you can call him later. You want to know more about Eros too, don't you?"

"Phichit, we already went through this. He told me everything he knew about Eros. It's no different from what we found online. I don't think he's hiding anything new."

"You still need someone to go with. I can't go so why don't you try asking Victor? I'm sure he won't mind. Besides, I've asked someone else to come with me to the Hamster Bowl and he said yes."

"You did? Who are you going with?"

"Christophe Giacometti! You remember him, right? He's that Swiss skater who always ends up in second place to Victor. Well, I called Victor and asked for his number. Then I asked Chris to come with me."

"And he said yes? How did you get his number?"

"Simple. I asked Victor for it."

"You talked to Victor? He actually answered his phone and gave you Chris' number?"

"He did!" Phichit nodded. "It wasn't that hard at all. Anyway, I introduced myself and told him what I do. Then I asked him if he wanted to come and he said he would. I couldn't believe it!" 

"He's willing to go watch hamsters play with a ball and run around?"

"I guess so. The point I'm making is that if I can ask Chris to go with me, you can definitely ask Victor to go with you. You had an easy time talking to him earlier. It can't hurt you to try. The worst he can do is say no."

"I suppose..." Yuuri sighed, looking down at his phone. "What do I say?"

"Ask him if he wants to go to Dowling Country Club with you on Sunday afternoon. Tell him that you have an assignment and you need a date for it. He's either going to say yes or no."

Yuuri saw Victor's number right there and his thumb hovered over it. He could do this. He could ask Victor out and the worst that could happen was that he would say no. Taking a deep breath, he pressed down and listened as the phone rang. In his mind, he thought about what to say. It would be an easy thing. All he had to do was ask Victor out. They would go to this event as friends. It was all a business after all.

_I can do this. If he doesn't go, then I'll be fine. The only problem will be that I'll have to find someone else._

He came across Victor's voicemail and sighed with relief. This was good. He could say what he wanted to in a voice mail. Once he heard the beep, he said what he needed to say. "Hi, Victor. It's Yuuri. You may remember me from the newspaper. Anyway, there's a charity event on Sunday afternoon at The Dowling Country Club and I've been asked to cover it. Since I need someone else with me, I was wondering if...you'd like to come? Let me know if you can! Bye!"

"See? That wasn't so bad." Phichit pointed out. "You said what you needed to say and now we have to wait."

"I got his voicemail. I hope I didn't sound too anxious on it. What if he doesn't check it though?"

"I'm sure he will. If he doesn't, we can also go to the rink and ask to see him. I know Christophe Giacometti will be there. Victor should be practicing there as well."

"Speaking of which, I can't believe Chris said yes to you. How did you manage to pull that off?"

"Skills. I have skills. He's a person just like I am. Besides, something inside was telling me to do it. I don't know why I felt like I had to ask him." Phichit buffed his fingernails against his shirt. "Well, that's our plan for Sunday. I hope you're ready for the next heist! Minami's been asked to shadow us so this should be fun. Don't worry, he's promised to behave and stay hidden the entire time. The boss wants us to get as close as possible without alerting the police."

Yuuri just nodded, not looking forward to tonight. A part of him wanted to know more about the Phantom Thief. The other part of him was terrified. He didn't feel so comfortable being near V. The strange pull that drove him close to him was also ripping him apart inside. Was this how it felt for all people when they met their soulmates? Then again, most people usually didn't have a thief for a soulmate. How was he supposed to live like this?

_If he is my soulmate, we can't live like this. I have to know who he is. I have to unmask whether he likes it or not._

"Yuuri! I'm ready!" Minami's voice rang through the room. He was ready, complete with a hat that had the words PRESS written on the brim. "I can't wait for all this! We're going to see a heist live before our eyes!"

"It's not going to be an easy assignment." Yuuri pointed out. "In fact, it's dangerous. I'm trying to stay away from the scene as much as possible."

"Oh, you have nothing to worry about. If that thief does anything to you, I will take them down!" Minami promised, throwing a couple of punches in the air. "No one will stand a chance! If he hurts you, I'm going to hurt him ten times...no, twenty times worse!"

"It will be okay." Phichit whispered in Yuuri's ear. "We're journalists, not fighters. I don't think he's going to hurt anyone. If he wanted to, he would have done it a long time ago."

"I know but what if he changes his mind this time?" Yuuri whispered. "Maybe I shouldn't go."

"Oh no, you're not backing out of this one! We have a story to cover! He asked to see you and he's going to see you! End of discussion!"

Yuuri swallowed. This was turning out to be quite a week. Not only was he after some phantom thief, he had asked Victor Nikiforov, living legend himself, out on a date. So far, he had no answer from Victor but his troubles weren't over. If Victor said no, then he needed to find someone else. If he said yes, they would be going to this place together. How was he supposed to act? What was he supposed to say? Phichit wasn't sweating over his date with Chris Giacometti but that was because they were going to watch hamsters being cute and playing with a ball. Yuuri and Victor were going to a fancy club. It would be very difficult to be himself when everyone else was so sophisticated, wealthy, and powerful.

~ ~ ~

Victor looked down at his phone to listen to the voicemail for the eighteenth time. During each break, he was listening to Yuuri's message and wondering how to reply. Yuuri had asked him to go to a country club as his date and it seemed like a dream come true. He wanted to go, of course, but he couldn't get himself to say it. The rest of his rinkmates were getting tired of watching him play around with the phone.

"For fuck's sake, call him and say yes!" Yuri finally screamed at him. "You've been staring at your phone for hour! If you want to go, just tell him already and stop moping around!"

"What if he changes his mind?"

"I highly doubt it." Georgi replied. "If he didn't want you to come, he wouldn't have asked you in the first place. I think this is quite nice actually. You haven't had a date in a long time. It's about time you went out and had fun again."

"Yeah, it's fun all right but don't forget about one thing." Mila warned them. "You can't let that journalist know what you are really up to.If he finds out the truth, he is never going to forgive. It's over for all of us."

Victor nodded. It was going to be hard trying to keep a secret from Yuuri. He had seen the motto under the blog he shared with Phichit. They were known to write 'the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth'. As of now, only Yuri, Mila, Georgi, Chris, and Yuri's friend Otabek knew what was really going on. Sara Crispino, another skater and a close friend of Mila's, was aware that something was happening though she didn't know what. Still, if Sara found out, it was okay. Sara wouldn't tell the whole world about this. Yuuri could and would do so. Their whole plan would blow up in their face if he did unmask V in front of the world.

"Enough about that. We have work to do." Chris reminded them. "The police are ready for us so we have to be ready for them. We have to be fast and quiet."

"Who is we? Victor's doing all the hard work." Yuri pointed out. "Next time, don't fool around with anyone. You took too fucking long! We could have been caught!"

"But Yuuri..."

"Victor, I know what you were thinking." Mila cut in. "I admit he looks a lot like Eros. I don't think it's him though. Eros was different. He had more charisma. He had sex appeal. He was very confident and calm. This journalist, cute as he may be, doesn't have that. Besides, he would have been far too young to have pulled off Eros' greatest heists. He probably just looks like him and that's all. I think you should leave him alone."

It was so easy for Mila to say because she didn't feel that pull towards Yuuri. She had a lot of good points about Yuuri being too young to be Eros. He also didn't look like someone who had confidence or charisma. For a journalist, he looked meek and anxious. At the same time, Victor knew that looks were deceiving. He had been reading Yuuri's articles over the past few days and he saw the passion in those words. He knew there was confidence hidden in there. Not only that, the greatest treasure of all time was hidden inside of Yuuri too. Snowflake Through the Looking Glass was still safe.

Looking at his phone, he finally was able to write 'Yes!' in reply to Yuuri's question. He almost put down his signature heartmouth at the end of it but stopped himself. If he did that, then Yuuri would know for a fact who V actually was. So he held off for now and felt relief. They were going on a date. Sure, Yuuri said that it related to his work but it didn't matter. He would get to spend more time with him. They would get to know each other and he would actually get to see more of Yuuri. Getting closer to Yuuri meant getting closer to the treasure.

"All right, we wasted enough time. Let's move already!" Yuri snapped. "We have a lot of work to do."

Chris looked over at Victor. "Are you ready?"

Victor grinned. "To see Eros again? Of course."

~ ~ ~

It was harder to get a better look at this scene because there were police cars everywhere. This time, no one was taking a chance. All the entrances and exits were blocked off. People were out on the lawn and the roof in hopes of intercepting the thief. All the valuables were locked away and guarded. They had even taken some caution by switching out the real jewel with a fake one. No one was supposed to know about this except for the police. Phichit just happened to overhear them and let Yuuri and Minami know.

"They are not taking any chances here." He told them. "I want to get closer but I can't find an opening."

"Maybe that's a good thing. If we got too close, we could be in trouble." Yuuri pointed out.

"Wow, look at all this! Do you think he's going to show up?" Phichit asked. "Maybe he'll get intimidated and he'll stay away."

"Well, he should stay away. If he gets close to us, I'll show him!" Minami decided, fists clenched. "Don't worry, Yuuri! He won't get anywhere near you this time!"

Yuuri appreciated the enthusiasm but he didn't want to be here. While the entire area was secure, he had a very good feeling that V was going to get away with his crime. The only bit of comfort he had was knowing that Victor had yes to his date on Sunday afternoon. He was glad that he had a date for it. Not only that, he had a date with his idol. Seeing how rich and popular Victor was, he wouldn't feel out of place at this country club.

"Nothing's happening!" Minami pouted. "It's time and he hasn't shown up! What if he decided not to come? I got ready for nothing!"

"I don't think that's the case. He's probably here and no one has found him yet." Yuuri realized, looking around the back. His nerves were coming around in full force and he needed to get away from the scene. "I need to get some fresh air. If he shows up, just send me a text and I'll be back."

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Phichit asked.

"I'll be fine. I just need to step away. I won't be gone very long." 

Yuuri stepped away from the scene and moved around the corner so no one could see him. He walked so far that he didn't even realize he was getting close to the scene of the crime. He didn't feel like he knew where he was going. Instead, someone was leading him to this. Something had taken over his body and was telling him to go down that way.

It wasn't long before he found himself at the backdoor and realized it was unlocked. The temptation was great but he didn't want to break the law. His hand was on the knob and he wanted to get a better look. If he was lucky, he could catch that Phantom Thief in the act. He had some questions to ask so if there was a time to get answers, now was it. 

_A good reporter does anything he can to get his story. I can just take a little peek in here and then get out. No one will even know I'm in here._

He stepped inside and began to feel nervous about being in this dark room. What was he doing in here? He was no criminal and there was no telling what could happen. His mind was telling him to get out and go back to where Phichit and Minami were. He had every opportunity to turn his heel, leave, and never think about it again. Yet he was moving further inside the building. It didn't feel like he had control of his body anymore. 

The entire room was filled with expensive artwork and jewels. It was all on display and he wanted to get a better look at everything. No wonder V was tempted by all of this. It was left out in the open for anyone to take. The lack of security was sad.

_Wait, why am I walking in here? What am I doing? I don't belong here! I need to go back!_

He stopped suddenly when he felt someone right behind him. He could hear them breathing but he didn't need to turn around. It was obvious who it was. He reached around back and waited for them to take his hand. After a second, he felt someone take it. Any normal would have screamed for help or have tried to run away. Yuuri couldn't do that. He didn't feel like himself at that moment. His mind was somewhere else and he couldn't let this person go.

"I had a feeling you're here." He murmured as he felt that person run their other hand down his thigh. That hand was going up and down his leg, going inside of this thigh. Normally, he would be annoyed by this but he liked it. He liked how gentle the rubbing was. 

"I knew you couldn't resist me for long, Eros." V whispered in his ear. "You wanted to see me again, didn't you?"

"I'm not Eros." Yuuri murmured, eyelids feeling heavy. Why was he so tired all of a sudden? He was used to staying up so late yet now he wanted to sleep. The whole room felt like it was blurring all together. What happened? "I...I..."

"Shh!" V was practically cradling him now. Yuuri's knees had given out and he was starting to sink to the floor. "I'm sorry, Eros. I can't have you steal this or stop me from doing what I have to do. It's mine."

"I'm not stealing..." Yuuri tried to finish his sentence but it was caught in his throat. That smell was strong. There was a hint of cinnamon, jasmine, and something else that he couldn't pinpoint. This smell was what was knocking him out. It was making him sleepy. "What did you do?"

"Sleep." He heard V say, still holding onto him. "Sweet dreams, dear Eros. Forgive me."

"No, I..." Yuuri struggled to keep his eyes open but it was too much. The air was heavy around him. He could feel V laying him down on the floor and he tried to get up. He wanted to get up. It felt like he was stuck on the ground yet nothing was holding him back. He had to stay awake. He had so many questions to ask. 

"Who are you?" He managed to get out as the room started to fade out. He couldn't see very much but a thick haze. Between that and the pull inside of him, he felt like he was drowning. He wanted to move his hand and reach up. He wanted to feel V again. There was something familiar about him. He needed to unmask this thief and find out who he truly was. 

"I'm your soulmate." 

Soulmate. That was all Yuuri could make sense of. His vision was already blurry but now his hearing was going on. V's voice sounded like muffles now. He was still talking but nothing was making sense. The only thing that sounded right to Yuuri was 'soulmate'. That much was obvious but he needed more. 

"My soulmate..." He tried to finish his sentence but could not. The end of that sentence was lodged in his throat. It was too hard to breathe. 

Then he closed his eyes and he heard nothing else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is the dates. About time! (I want to go to a hamster bowl)
> 
> Lemme know what you think. Yell at me in the comments or on tumblr @ fallsintograce!


	6. Dates and Flashbacks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Both Phichit and Yuuri go on their dates with very different end results. And some strange things are starting to happen...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: This will be the last chapter for a while of any of my WIPs. With the holidays coming up, I will be busy. I've got BBOI and a few other important things to take care of. Next one probably won't be out till January. Now I may get lucky and get hit inspiration and I may get time to post early. However, here's my holiday gift for now! Unbetaed but I hope it all makes sense and it's long enough. (I swear I know what I'm doing)
> 
> Happy Holidays! My thanks to all of you who continued to follow along! <333
> 
> ETA: Fixed a little error to make things flow better.

After two hours, Yuuri woke up to voices speaking all around him. The lights were blinding him and his vision was still a little blurry without his glasses but he was awake. His head throbbed as he tried to sit up and figure out what happened to him. The whole world was spinning and he felt dizzy. 

"He's awake! Yuuri's awake! Yuuri, can you hear me?!"

Yuuri groaned and rubbed his forehead. He could see Minami's bright red streak in his hair and the lights above him. It was very cold and he realized he was outside. He also say the blue and red lights of police cars nearby and things were starting to come together. Tonight had been V's heist. He was supposed to have seen the thief and record his every move. Instead, he had fallen asleep. "What happened? I don't remember much..."

"Hang on, here are you glasses. Do you need anything? Water? Something to eat?"

He blinked and put on his glasses as his vision became clear. He was surrounded by people with Minami right at his side. Phichit had also managed to break through and sit by him, relieved that his friend was okay. "I have a headache. What happened to me? I remember smelling something strange and running into V again. After that, everything else went blank."

"I figured he did something to you." Phichit sighed. "When you went off, I began to sense something was wrong. You didn't come back after fifteen minutes so I sent Minami after you. That's when he saw V running out of the building and went after him."

"I almost got him too but he was too fast!" Minami pouted. "I saw the back door of the building was opened and then I went inside. That's when I found you on the ground. I don't know what he did to you but he's going to pay! I promise, Yuuri! When I find him, he's going to be sorry he ever hurt you!"

"But he didn't hurt me. Did he?" Yuuri was confused. He was starting to remember bits of what happened before he was knocked out. He remembered holding V's hand and the way V caressed his thighs. He also remembered that strange smell before he went unconscious. It was very intoxicating but that was it. 

"Well, they checked you out and you seem healthy. I think all he did was knock you unconscious. And of course, he got away with his crime." Phichit squeezed Yuuri's hand. "I'm really glad you're okay. I don't know what I would have done if you got hurt. Why did you run off like that anyway?"

"I don't know." Yuuri admitted. "I felt like something was drawing me to get inside that building. I don't know how I opened that door or why I went inside. I guess I sensed he'd be in there and I wanted to know more about him. Of course, I didn't find out much."

"According to the police, you're not the only one who was affected by the smell. It turns out that he knocked out all the guards inside of that building too. Fortunately, I don't think it's going to have much of an effect on you physically. They said you might feel a little tired but that's it. It'll wear off soon enough."

"Good to know. Did you get anything tonight?"

"Not much. Minami was fortunate to chase him down but he couldn't catch up with him. He didn't notice anything strange about him. He just thinks he's seen him before."

"Something was very familiar about him." Minami added. "I don't know what but I feel like I know him."

Yuuri felt the same way but had no time to think about it. Police officers were now asking him a million questions about this. They wanted to know how V managed to lure him in and if he had done anything. Physically, he looked okay. With the exception of his headache and drowsiness, he was fine. He couldn't recall much about V since he hadn't turned around to look at him this time. He just felt his hands on him and he remembered the smell. He also remembered how V kept calling him Eros.

"But I'm not Eros." He assured the police. "I can't be Eros. I was too young when he was around and then he disappeared. Other than that, I don't have much to tell you. I'm sorry."

"Doesn't his voice seem familiar?"

"A little bit but I can't figure out where i heard it from. It's like he's trying to hide his voice. If I hear it again, maybe I'll be able to find out who it belongs to."

There was a little bit more questioning and examination but Yuuri turned out to be fine. He was tired but V hadn't hurt him in any way. After a good night's sleep, he would ready for the country club tomorrow.

Country Club. Victor. Their date. He had completely forgotten about his new assignment until this moment. He asked Phichit to give him his phone and saw that Victor had called earlier while he was unconscious. "Should I let Victor know what happened? It could affect what happens tomorrow. If I'm not well enough, I may have to cancel the date."

"I already did. He was pretty worried about you and wanted to come over." Phichit explained. "I told him to stay back since there was plenty of people already here. He told me to let him know when you woke up."

"I can let him know that." Yuuri looked down at Victor's number and dialed it, hoping that he'd still be awake. He didn't want to cancel the date since part of it was also his work. He had a feeling his boss was not going to let him out of this unless he was truly ill and couldn't move.

Victor answered on the first ring. "Yuuri! Are you all right?! I was so worried about you!"

"I'm fine, Victor. I'm a little tired but I'm okay. I don't think he hurt me so that's good. We're still on for tomorrow afternoon."

"Are you sure? If you're not feeling well..."

"I'll be fine. I have to get this done anyway. Do you want to meet me at the club or should I come and get you?"

"Ah...I'll meet you there. Just send me the address. Do you want me to get you anything?"

"No, it's okay. I swear I'll be fine. If I need anything, Phichit can get it for me. You don't have to do a thing." Yuuri promised. "In the meantime, just be careful out there. As long as this guy is running around, I don't think anyone's safe. Guard your valuables, okay?"

"I will. Have a good night, Yuuri. I will see you tomorrow."

Yuuri hung up, still trying to wrap his head around what happened. He ran into V again and he had a date with Victor Nikiforov tomorrow. How many people in the world could say they had a date with their idol? He wanted to jump for joy but his head was still pounding from everything that had happened. He felt something towards V. That pull he had gotten earlier still lingered inside. He kept wanting to believe that the pull was coming from somewhere else. It had to be from someone else. There was no way he could be the soulmate of a thief. They couldn't last.

_But if he is my soulmate, I need to know who he is._ Yuuri realized. _I need to figure out his motive. What is he doing this for? What is he going to gain from this?_

"I think we should go home now." He decided, not really wanting to hang around much longer. "I'll probably feel better after I get some sleep."

"If it's okay with everyone, I guess we can go. Do you need to see a doctor or anything?" Phichit asked.

"No. I know I'll be fine tomorrow. Besides, I have to get ready for my date with Victor and you have your date with Chris. We can't turn them down." 

"Are you sure? I know Victor won't mind going on another night and I don't think Chris will either."

"Maybe not but we have work. I can't let this slow me down. I just have to forget about it and move on."

Forgetting about it was a lot harder than he realized. The police had a million questions because they all assumed that V had kidnapped. No one knew that he had sneaked into the building because he had been drawn to it. They all wanted to know everything they could about the phantom thief but he had nothing for them. When he passed out, he remembered nothing else. He left out the fact that V could be his soulmate because he needed to figure out V's identity first. He needed to know more about him.

As he looked up at the sky, he thought about his soulmate running around town. He was going to be hard to catch but Yuuri would get him. He would find him before anyone else did. And eventually, he would bring this to an end. 

~ ~ ~

Victor felt guilty when he looked down at his phone. He didn't want to lie to Yuuri about any of this. He didn't like to pretend that he had no idea what Yuuri was talking about. Above all else, he didn't like that he had to knock Yuuri out. He didn't want to leave Yuuri lying on the floor.

"You did what you had to do." Chris told him. "If he found out the truth, it would be the end for all of us. Soulmate or not, you can't get that close."

That was easy for Chris to say since he hadn't found his soulmate yet. He didn't know how painful that pull inside could be. He had no idea how hard it was for Victor ignore the pull towards Yuuri. Being next to him felt like someone was trying to push him underwater. It was like he was trying to swim up to the surface yet something kept holding him down. The headaches were so bad that he needed medication for them. Whenever a soulmate was nearby, aspirin was usually a good thing for one to take. It would help ease up the pain within an hour. That's what Victor had done prior to the heist. He had a feeling Yuuri would be around. What he wasn't sure of was if Yuuri realized who he was. Yuuri must have felt the pull too.

"Are you even sure it's him? It could be that guy that's next to him all the time. You know, he shares the hamster blog with?" Yuri pointed out. "Or it could be someone else. You're probably chasing after the wrong guy."

While that was a possibility, Victor was sure that the pull was coming from Yuuri. It made perfect sense that the guy who looked so much like Eros would be his soulmate. The problem was that Yuuri still didn't know V's true identity. If he had found out, he certainly wasn't telling anyone. Maybe he wasn't Eros but he certainly knew how to unlock a door easily. He knew how to sneak into a room without anyone knowing. He moved with confidence and silence. No one would be able to hear his feet across the floor. 

Victor didn't want to do anything to Yuuri when he saw him. He thought about avoiding him altogether but the pull was too strong. The medication he had taken was starting to wear off and he needed to get rid of Yuuri somehow. He had no intention of hurting so the only thing he could do was put him to sleep.

"It will be okay. He'll be okay." He heard Chris tell him. "You can't have him find out anything about you. Take care of him."

When he put his hand on Yuuri's body, he felt like he was drowning again. He just wanted to hold Yuuri forever at that point. He wanted to reveal everything to him. The more he thought about it, the guiltier he felt. He never wanted to knock Yuuri out like that but he couldn't have him learn his secrets yet. They had a long way to go before he could tell him the truth. He didn't want to hit him so all he could do was use a special potion that Georgi had made and send him to sleep. When Yuuri was still cradled in his arms, he took out the potion bottle, opened it up, and waved it under Yuuri's nose. If Yuuri noticed a thing, he couldn't do much about it. He fell over within a minute and Victor laid him down on the ground. 

"You did what you had to do." Chris reminded him. "We're lucky he blacked out so quickly. I was unsure about that potion. Georgi said it worked but he's the same one who gave me that love potion last time and nothing came of that."

Victor looked down at his phone and hated the fact that he had to pretend to be in bed. If Yuuri just went a little further and turned the corner, he would have seen who V was. He would have had the story of the century. Instead, Yuuri was recovering and being looked after by his friends. Tomorrow, he had to pretend that everything was all right. The only thing he was certain about was that he was going to have a good time with him. 

"You should probably get out of there. The police are starting to leave." He heard Mila say. "This heist went better than the last one. You took care of that reporter with ease." 

"He's going to be okay, isn't he?" Victor wanted to know. 

"He'll be fine. Come tomorrow, I'm sure he'll be back on his feet and doing the things he loves. Now you have a date so you need to come home. I have to tell Yakov why you won't be into practice until evening. I have no doubt that he won't be happy about this."

Victor did feel sorry for Mila having to go and tell their coach all this. Yakov still remained in the dark about what his skaters were up to. He saw them hanging around and was suspicious but didn't ask them anything. Instead, he'd yell at them to stop loafing around and do some skating. As long as he didn't try to snoop through their things or listen into the meetings, they were going to be fine. His biggest concern Eros or Yuuri or whatever he called himself now. Why had he returned after so many years? And what did he want in the end?

There was only way to find out. He had to go on that date with Yuuri tomorrow. Somehow, someway, he needed to get that treasure out of him. 

~ ~ ~

Phichit didn't tell Yuuri that he was nervous about his date with Chris but he was starting to feel it now. He knew what he had to say and he was prepared up until this point. It was easy to tell Yuuri to calm down and that everything would be all right. Telling himself that was another story. He looked calm on the outside. On the inside, he was screaming into a void. He told himself that things were going to be fine.

As soon as he saw Chris, he almost lost his breath. He had seen Chris on TV multiple times but seeing him up close was different. He dripped of sex appeal yet he also seemed very angelic. He was very approachable and had no issues going to watch a bunch of hamsters try to play a game. Now that they were sitting together, there seemed to be something drawing them close to each other. Was it the same thing Yuuri felt when he was drawn towards V? He had taken some aspirin to deal with a headache earlier and now it was kicking in. Neither one of them felt well so they needed the medicine to get through the day. Aspirin was very good at making soulmate pulls more bearable. Sometimes, they weren't noticeable at all. Still, he felt that tiny pull between them. It was a little painful but easy to ignore. 

_All right, calm down. He's a person just like you are. You were able to ask him out and he said yes. Just act normal and things will be fine._

"So all we're watching is a bunch of hamsters playing football?" Chris asked, giving Phichit a perfect moment to continue a conversation. If there was one thing he did like to talk about, it was hamsters. "That's what they want you to cover?"

"Yup, they want me to cover hamsters playing football. Well, they call it soccer over here but the idea is still the same."

"I never got why Americans had to change the name. Football made enough sense. You kick the ball around with your feet. Yet what they do call football is something completely different."

"I don't understand it either." Phichit shrugged. "Anyway, the hamsters are just playing a game although I don't think half of them know what they are doing."

Sure enough, the hamsters had no idea what they were doing. They scampered around the playing area and very few of them were pushing the ball around with their faces. After a few seconds, the hamsters would get tired and just run away from the ball. As of now, the score was still zero to zero. It didn't matter because the hamsters themselves were just too cute. The audience was more focused on how adorable they were than on which team was winning. 

"Do they have any idea what they're supposed to do?" Chris asked.

"Probably not. They're as confused as you are." Phichit laughed, holding out his nachos. If nothing else, the food over here was good and it all came in a ceramic hamster head. "Want some?"

Chris looked down at the chips before taking one covered in bacon bits, green onions, beef, cheese, and sour cream. "Merci."

"No problem. It's not like I can finish all of this anyway. Usually, I'll bring this home for Yuuri and we'll both eat it together. However, I've got someone else I can share this with." He held out the bowl with fries in it. "Want some of these?"

They both grabbed some fries covered in gooey cheese, unaware that the cheese was pulling them closer to each other. It felt like something out of a movie or fairy tale. The cheese was stuck on their fries and they couldn't pull it apart. After tugging on it, they finally managed to pull it apart and got cheese on themselves. 

"Ah, I'm sorry!" Phichit apologized, handing Chris a napkin to clean up the mess. "I didn't think that could happen! I never meant to get cheese on you." 

"It's all right. I've had a lot of things dropped on me." Chris assured him. "You're not the first person to get some hot liquid on my body."

Phichit ignored that and tried to focus on the game before them. Instead, he grabbed an extra long French fry and started nibbling on it. The other end felt a bit heavier but he ignored it. He kept chewing and chewing, unaware that someone else was chewing the other end. The fry was very long and had taken up most of that ceramic bowl. He felt it was a good time to eat it before it got too cold and soggy. 

That was when his lips ended up pressing against Christophe Giacometti's. 

At first, neither could understand how this happened. They pulled apart and tried to figure out what to say. Phichit was at a loss for words for once. He had been chewing on one end of the long fry while Chris had the other end. If he had looked up sooner, he would have seen this. He would have seen Chris' lips getting closer to his. It made sense that the heavier on the end would someone else.

"Sorry." He apologized. "I...I had no idea..."

"Don't worry. I didn't know either." Chris didn't seem embarrassed by this. "I should have asked you if you wanted it."

"It's fine. I...." Phichit watched as a little hamster named Apple started to kick the ball around. That provided the perfect distraction. "Oh, look, they're playing again! About time!" 

They didn't speak of the kiss again but the feeling of Chris' salty lips against his still lingered. 

~ ~ ~ 

The Dowling Country Club was not a place Yuuri wanted to be. Just looking at the fresh cut lawns and the people dressed in their expensive clothing made him feel out of place. He was wearing one of his best suits and had slicked back his hair to make him look older and more sophisticated. Even still, he felt so small and poor around these people. It made him wish that he had gone with Phichit to the Hamster Bowl instead. When he saw all the pictures on the phone, he could tell that they were having a good time. Eating chili dogs and nachos sounded more fun than chowing down on caviar and scallops with quail eggs on top. 

Still, he could get used to the food. It was the conversation and the endless games of croquet that weren't holding his interest. He understood how the game was played. He just didn't care about it. He hoped that his boss wouldn't mind if he skimped out on details about the game. As long as he knew the score and who won, he could get away with it. He was glad he had taken some aspirin before coming here. He was on medication ever since waking up from his slumber. Physically, he was perfectly fine. He was well enough to do all the things he wanted to do. The headache from last night didn't disappear easily so he needed the medicine. Now he felt better and he was prepared to write. He was just bored. These people were not the kind of people he normally would hang out with. They were all doing this for a good cause but he couldn't find the desire to talk with them about things besides charity.

To pass some time, he checked out his messages. Phichit was having a blast with Chris while his family was concerned about how things were. They had found out what happened and everyone urged him to be careful. Yuuko even asked him if he noticed anything funny, which was odd. Why was she so concerned about something funny happening?

_I should probably ask her about that later._ He decided. _She seems worried about me for some reason. Then again, after what happened, I can't blame her. I don't know what happened to me. I've been feeling strange ever since I ran into V._

She wasn't the only one concerned. His teacher, Minako, had also sent him a message and wanted to know if he was doing better. She told him to take some medicine and get some rest. She wasn't thrilled when she heard why he was out there that night. While the police were able to buy that V had kidnapped him and dragged into that room, Minako didn't. 

"Stay away from that man." She warned him. "I mean it. I know you've been told to cover this story but your safety is more important to me. Keep your distance. You don't know what he can do to you or what he truly wants."

The last bit was confusing to him. No one knew what V truly wanted. They were still trying to find the last two things he had stolen. At the same time, police were trying to figure out the connection between V and Eros. Why was he so concerned about a thief who disappeared years ago? He had hoped Victor could shed some light but they were left back where they had started. They still had no clue as to what was truly going on. 

"Yuuri! Yuuri, I'm here!"

Yuuri looked up to find Victor waving at him and he felt better. Like the other people, he was also well dressed but he seemed friendlier in comparison. With Victor by his side, he would be able to handle this. He could pretend that he was wealthy and well known. 

"Hey, you made it!" He greeted him. "I know this is not the ideal place to meet but..."

"It's fine." Victor whispered in his ear. "Do you have to stay the whole time?"

"I don't think so." Yuuri whispered. "I've got a good idea of what's going on. I can write about it and cover everything that's happening. Why, do you want to go somewhere else?"

"Maybe later. I know a better place that's much quieter and I think you'll like it. Of course, that all depends if you are free."

"I will?" Yuuri was curious. "I might be free later on. How far is it from here?" 

"Not very far. In fact, we can walk there. I've been here a few times in the past and it's one of my favorite spots. When I need to think or get away from things, I go there."

Now Yuuri was intrigued and he couldn't wait to see this spot. However, he had to stay for lunch and pretend that he wasn't bored. The food was good even though it was expensive. He was glad that work had paid for all of this. He tried his best to listen to everything and kept note what was most important. However, it wasn't very fun. He was polite as he could be when he talked to everyone but he desperately wanted everything to be over. A few times, he would check his phone and see that Phichit had posted some pictures from the Hamster Bowl. It may not have been an exciting game but it certainly looked cuter and more entertaining than this. 

After an hour, Victor nudged him. "This is boring. Do you want to go somewhere else?"

"I thought you would never ask. I don't think anything is going to change over here." Yuuri whispered back. "Take me to your favorite place. I don't care what it is. I just need to get out of here."

VIctor smiled. "Your wish is my command."

They politely excused them from the event and Victor led Yuuri outside towards where the wooded areas were. As they went deeper down, he tried to cover Yuuri's eyes and lead him in another way. He had to take Yuuri's glasses off, which startled him. He was not expecting Victor to touch him, let alone take his glasses. "Wait! What are_"

"Shh!" Victor silenced him. "It's a surprise. It will be better this way. You're going to like this."

"Can't you just cover my glasses? I need them. Where are they anyway?" There was something strange about the way Victor covered his face. His hands were smooth and soft. There was also some warmth that felt good against Yuuri's face. He shivered with excitement as they kept moving. 

"I have them with me, Yuuri. Don't worry. We're close."

They kept walking further and deeper into the woods, stepping on the dead leaves and branches on the path. Yuuri wished that he could see something but Victor had his palms tightly against his face. He struggled to get his eyes open but there was something very familiar about Victor's hands. He had felt them on his before but he couldn't recall where.

Was it when we shook hands? No, that can't be it. A handshake would never give me this feeling. What's going on with me? 

After a few minutes, Victor finally stopped. "Okay, stay right here and don't open your eyes yet."

"Why not?"

"You'll see. Wait a minute."

Yuuri heard some shuffling around and almost peeked but didn't. If Victor wanted him to keep his eyes closed, he would do it. After a second, he heard Victor say. "Okay, now you can open them!"

As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw the beautiful blue lake surrounded by tall green grass and large trees around them. The light was reflecting off the water, making it look as thing as ice. It was a picture that looked like something he'd find in a painting, not in real life. He felt breathless as he stared at the beauty in front of him. 

"Wow! I didn't even know this existed."

"It's a place I visit whenever I need some time alone." Victor explained, finding a place to sit down on the grass. "It's even more beautiful in winter when everything freezes over and the water turns to ice. I wish I could come here more often but I'm always traveling. That's why I was happy when you asked me over here. I wanted to see this again."

"I don't blame you. It's far away from everything." Yuuri sat down next to him to look at the lake. The water was so still and blue. No pollution could be found in sight. The only sounds were chirps of crickets and other insects nearby. "How did you find it?"

"I got lost here once when I was younger. I didn't how to get back and I ended up going further into the woods. My phone wasn't working so I found this place and stayed here until someone found me. It was the one place where I felt safe."

They sat there for a little longer, staring out at the water. Yuuri was having a hard time wrapping his mind around this. For years, he admired Victor. He wanted to be like Victor one day. He had all the pictures and magazines that Victor had ever been in. There were plenty of men and women who would have died to have Victor look in their direction. Yet here he was sitting next to Victor, staring out at this blue lake surrounded by greenery. They were just inches away from each other. How did he get so lucky? 

"Just out of curiosity, why did you say yes?" He asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You wanted to come to this place with me. I'm sure you have better things to do. You have a competition you need to prepare for." 

"It's okay. I'm allowed to have a break." He took a deep breath. "Isn't it beautiful?"

"Yeah." Yuuri closed his eyes for a second to take in the fresh air. It really did feel like he was dreaming but it was a better dream. He wasn't feeling that strange pull that he got towards V. It was a shame. He wouldn't mind Victor being his soulmate. In fact, that would have been a dream come true. He would feel like the luckiest man in the world if the two of them were together. 

Closing his eyes, he listened to the sound of crickets chirping and felt the wind blowing against his face. He could picture the water and trees around him and felt at peace. He could feel Victor's hand on top of his thigh and suddenly he began to see something else. That water and the trees were suddenly covered in ice. It had gotten cold around him and it turned into a winter scene. He didn't know what this meant but suddenly he heard voices. 

_I trust you to protect this. No one can get their hands on it._

This voice was unfamiliar but then there was a flash in front of him. He saw snowflakes and then something glowing in the distance. He wanted to reach out and touch it. That glowing thing was cold. Then it felt warm and he heard another voice. 

_You don't need to worry. He can keep it safe. It will be with him._

_Good. Make sure it never falls into the wrong hands. Make sure they never hurt him just to get it. Snowflake Through the Looking Glass can't be taken away._

The flash got brighter and Yuuri recognized the voice. He opened his eyes and gasped for air, realizing where he was. The snowy winter scene was gone and he was back in the same spot that Victor had taken him to. He began to breathe hard and looked around the area. No one else was there but he knew where one of those voices came from him.

His mother. Hiroko Katsuki had been here before. Yet how could that be? He didn't think she ever left Hasetsu but it felt like she had seen this place. Not only that, she had made a deal with someone. He didn't recognize the other person nor did he know what Snowflake Through The Looking Glass was. However, the bright light had done something to him. 

"Yuuri?" Victor was worried all of a sudden. Yuuri was sweating hard and looking panicked. "Are you all right?"

"I..." Yuuri couldn't finish his sentence. "I need to go. I need to leave now!"

"Wait, what's wrong? Did I do something_"

"No, you didn't!" Yuuri stood up and began to move away. "I have to go back home. I'm sorry, Victor. There's something I need to figure out first." 

"Would you like me to take you home?"

"I'll take a cab home. I'll call you when I get there. I'm so sorry but I can't stay here." He decided, moving further away from Victor. He needed to get out of this place. He needed to ask his mother what had happened. He didn't just imagine this. He was picturing something in the past. He didn't know how he got that image but he knew he had to find out about it. 

"Can I see you again?" Victor suddenly asked. "If you're not happy, we don't have to stay here. We can go somewhere else next time."

"Yes, that's fine." Yuuri didn't sound like himself when he said that. "Anywhere else would be much better than this." 

"Okay, I will_"

"I have to go now! I'm sorry, Victor! We'll go out another time!" He began to run away and head back to the country club. This whole place was making him sick. 

"Yuuri, wait! Don't leave! I can_"

It was too late. Yuuri was already running away with a million thoughts on his mind. Something was off about all of this. He needed to find out the truth. Somebody out there was not telling him the whole story. He felt bad about leaving Victor like this but he needed his answers. 

And somehow, he needed to find this Snowflake Through the Looking Glass before anyone else did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lemme know what you think in comments or at my tumblr @ fallsintograce.


	7. Visions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Strange visions that may hold answers to everything...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An early New Year's gift for everyone! We've got a short chapter this time but things are going to start heating up. It may not make sense now but I swear I have a plan! An early thanks to everyone who is still following along with the fic! Please ignore any un-betaed stuff. I'm a little ill today but I didn't want to hold off on this. Come morning, I will fix whatever seems messy.

Yuuri did feel awful about leaving Victor like that but he couldn't stay near that lake anymore. When he thought about it, he felt sick inside. The male's voice sounded familiar though he couldn't figure out where he had heard it. Yet it was his mother's voice that worried him the most. What did she have to do with all this? From the sound of it, she seemed desperate about something. He had never heard her sound so scared before.

It was still too early to call anyone at home so he decided to do some research about Eros and Snowflake Through the Looking Glass. Unfortunately, his search didn't give him much. He saw plenty of articles about Eros stealing something from all over the world. Eros never left a clue behind to his identity but the world was intrigued by him. The last article he found on him was about Eros' sudden disappearance. There were articles about Victor being beaten up and Eros saving him but that was it. He took all his treasures and fell off the face of the earth. One eyewitness claimed to have seen Eros fall through an icy lake and drown though no one bought that story. The same eyewitness kept changing their story, saying that they had made it up to impress their girlfriend. No one had any solid proof now. The world had no idea what happened to Eros. 

Finding anything about Snowflake Through the Looking Glass was just as hard. He just knew that it was worth millions and people were desperate to get a hold of it. Whoever possessed this would be one of the richest people in the world. Sadly, no one knew where Eros had kept this jewel. The reward was still up for grabs. Was this what V was truly after? 

Phichit entered the apartment at that moment. "I have so much to tell you!"

"I have a lot to tell you too. I've been thinking about Eros and who he really was."

"Eros? What happened to your date with Victor?" Phichit was confused. "Did you have a bad time? Did he do anything to you?"

"No, Victor was fine. The country club was a little boring but we were fine. It was what happened afterwards. Victor just took me to this little lake in the woods and it was a nice place. Everything was perfect." 

"Then what happened? Did Victor do something to you?"

"He was great. It was just...I closed my eyes and the scene changed. I felt like I was dreaming. The forest turned cold and then I heard voices and one of those belonged to my mother. I didn't understand what that meant. Then that funny feeling I've had ever since I saw V came back. I had to leave. I feel bad about it but I needed to find out what was going on." 

"Maybe it's just a dream. You've been having a lot of strange dreams lately. Or maybe that stuff that V gave you is making you imagine things. It probably did more than knock you out."

"I want to believe that it is but I don't know." Yuuri shrugged. "I'm going to ask her tonight about this. I feel like my family knows something that they don't want to tell me. No one has anything about who Eros could be. I haven't found any pictures of the guy. Some photos are just too blurry and they are artist renditions. Of course, some eyewitness that claimed to see Eros drown keeps changing his story. I have no idea what to believe."

"Well, I hope you do figure this out one day. Then you've got to deal with your new soulmate, V. What are you going to do when you find out the truth?"

"I don't even know if I want to find out the truth. It will be very hard to deal with a soulmate like that. I'm just too confused." He shook his head. "Anyway, tell me about your date went. I need something to distract from this."

"Are you sure?" Phichit waited until Yuuri nodded his head. "Okay, well, the date was amazing! We watched hamsters trying to kick a ball and we ate so much! I brought you some fries and pizza! They're a little cold but totally worth eating. Chris is so tall and amazing and his body is...have you seen that body? That butt? That is a butt made of dreams!"

"Phichit!"

"I'm sorry but it's true. Anyway, I liked it and we're going to see each other again Tuesday night! I thought maybe if you wanted to, you can ask Victor and we can go to that place that makes katsudon. You always said it was the second best katsudon you ever ate. Only your mother's katsudon tops it." Phichit looked down at the ground. "That's if you want to ask him out, of course. If you don't want to_"

"I do!" Yuuri cut in. "I have to make up for ditching him earlier today. I have to explain why. I just hope he's willing to give me a second chance." 

"If you just tell him that you weren't feeling well, I think he'll accept it." Phichit nodded. "All you have to do is give him a call. I've already told Chris that we're meeting around 7 on Tuesday. Maybe he can come then too." 

"I guess I can try." 

Yuuri dialed Victor's number and listened to it ring. It went straight to voicemail so he felt a bit of relief. He was already nervous about asking him out on a second date after this first disaster. "Hi, Victor. It's me. I'm really sorry about what happened and I want to make it up to you. I'll explain everything if you want me to. I'm thinking about Tuesday night at 7. There's a little place that's close to my home that we can meet at. Anyway, just let me know what you think. Bye!"

Once he hung up, he began to breathe again. "Oh, that felt good! I'm so glad I was able to get that out and I said all I wanted to say!" 

"Now all we have to do is wait for Victor to answer!" Phichit decided. "And in the meantime, I need to get started on my article. Although I don't know what I could write other than they were cute and Chris is a great kisser."

Yuuri perked up at that. "What was that?" 

"Nothing." Phichit smiled. "Don't be anxious, Yuuri. Victor will reply. I'm sure of it." 

_It's not Victor that I'm actually worried about._ Yuuri wanted to say, looking at the phone numbers of his family and closest friends. In a few hours, he would give someone a call and find out what they were truly up to. A horrible feeling gripped him and he knew that no good was going to come out of this. 

No good at all. 

~ ~ ~

Victor didn't know how to react when he got the voicemail from Yuuri. For the longest time, he had been skating and trying to keep his mind off what was going on. He was taking a break from practice when he found his phone and now he had to think. He was certain that Yuuri hated him for taking him to the lake. The date was fine up until that moment. Maybe Yuuri hated lakes and this had triggered something. That was why he surprised to find that he had called. 

"If you want to see him, just call him back." Yuri suggested. "I don't get it. What do you see in this pig anyway?"

"Ah, Yura, you wouldn't understand." Georgi spoke up from behind. Unlike Yuri, he knew exactly what was up. "It's so obvious to one who understands love. It has all the makings of a tragic love story."

"What the hell are you babbling about, lover boy?"

"Don't you see? Victor is in love!"

"Pffft, seriously? You could do so much better, Victor. Why would fall in love with that guy?"

Victor ignored that and sent Yuuri a text back to say that he did want to go see him but Tuesday night was a difficult time. The main reason for this was that their next heist was planned for that night at nine in the evening. If he went out, he would have to leave early. He made sure that Yuuri could understand that they could only do dinner and nothing more. 

"Does he know about you?" Yuri asked. "You know you can't keep that hidden forever if he's your soulmate."

Victor shook his head. "I can't do it. He's just so sweet that I can't hurt him."

"You had no trouble knocking him out last time."

"That was different! I had no choice but to put him to sleep! If he finds out the truth..." Victor murmured. "Should I tell him?"

"Do you want to end up in jail?" Mila asked. "That's exactly what will happen if you tell him. There is no way he is going to want to be with you."

"I know that it's not a good idea but I think he is my soulmate. I feel the pull around him. Besides, you're dating Sara and she knows everything about you. She knows what you're doing and she's fine with it."

"Sara is different. She's known about our plan for a while and she helps us out with it. She's also not a journalist who could expose us. If you want to tell him the truth, you can't do it now. There's too much."

"But wouldn't it be better if I told him first? If he finds out on his own, it may be worse." Victor could only imagine the horror on Yuuri's face if he did learn the truth the hard way. There was no way he was going to forgive this. 

"Well, all you can do is hope he doesn't find out." Mila told him. "We still have work to do. If he discovers what we're doing, we end up in jail and our whole plan is blown. Keep your distance from him. Play with him all you want but don't tell him anything."

"I won't." Victor promised. "Did you send the next notice?"

"Complete with your signature and a special message to Eros." She winked. "This job should be very easy. We're breaking into someone's house this time. Minimal security and nothing to stop us. You will have no trouble." 

"That's good." Victor knew he would have no trouble with the heist. He was more concerned about Yuuri stopping him. Mila was right; if this got out, they were doomed. "So it's for Tuesday night at nine?"

"That's right. Why, do you have a date?"

"I might. Yuuri asked me out on Tuesday night."

"Then go!" Georgi exclaimed. "Do not let love fly out of your hands! If it is early in the evening, you must go to your love! If you want, I have made a love potion to help you lure him in!"

"What the fuck?" Yuri rolled his eyes. "Don't listen to him and don't take any love potions! Just go out with him and pretend to have a good time! Just spend like an hour with him and then get ready for the heist. If he asks where you're going, tell him that Yakov wants you to practice more. He'll believe that." 

Before Victor could agree to that, Yakov yelled at the group in the corner. "What are you doing socializing?! Your break is over! Get back on the ice!"

"I'm going, old man!" Yuri snapped back, heading towards the ice. "Ugh, he's such a nag! I don't know how he doesn't realize what's going on." 

"It's a good thing he doesn't know." Mila whispered. "If he found out, he's going to end us for anyone else does." 

"Speaking of what we're doing, I have something for you." Georgi added. "It's something you will desperately need." 

Victor held up his hand. "Thank you but I don't need a love potion." 

"Not that although my offer for that still stands. It's something you will need for your heist. Trust me, it will be_"

"You two! Stop chatting and get on the ice now!" Yakov yelled. "How do you expect to win anything at this rate?!" 

"I'll show you later." Georgi promised. "Tuesday is going to be fun. I promise."

Victor didn't say anything but he was looking forward to Tuesday. Yuuri still had interest in him and they were going on another date. He was excited to see him but he did dread the day that Yuuri would learn the truth. What was Yuuri going to say? Would he ever forgive him? That time would come but for now, he would keep his mouth shut. He had a good thing right now. He wasn't about to destroy it. 

He never wanted to let Yuuri go, no matter what price he had to pay for it. 

~ ~ ~

V's next notice came around eleven that night and people on social media managed to get a hold of it. Despite people yelling about it and calling it as fake, the world knew it was true. Yuuri kept starting at it, trying to make some sense of the note.

**I will take possession of The Winter Lily on Tuesday at 9 PM. ' ♡ '**

**-V**

**P.S. Send my love to Eros! ♥ ♥ ♥**

The Winter Lily was the nickname of a gorgeous diamond necklace that belonged to an heiress that lived in a town nearby. No doubt this story was going to be covered and the police would be swarming the area. The security wasn't so great there despite all the rich people living in that suburb. They were going to need all the help they could get for this heist. 

Once again, he had mentioned Eros and Yuuri felt funny when he saw that name. Fortunately, he was able to get through one person back home that night. Minako-sensei was up when he called her. This was good because he knew she would be honest with him. She was not the type of person to keep secrets for long. While she was a little confused why he was calling, she had time to listen to him. 

"You have to tell me about Eros. I keep looking for something about him but it's all the same thing. What kind of a person was he?"

"I wouldn't know that, Yuuri. I never ran into Eros. I know what everyone else told me." Minako explained. "Eros was well known for stealing jewels and artwork. He was so fast and silent that no one noticed anything until he was gone. He did like to taunt the police though. He always left a type-written note that had his signature on it. The note wasn't much; he'd just put what he was planning to steal and when."

 _Just like V does._ Yuuri realized. Then he asked the big question. "Do you know what Snowflake Through the Looking Glass is, Minako-sensei?"

There was a brief pause at the other end. Then she spoke up. "How did hear about that?"

"I've been hearing about it for a while. Was it something Eros stole?"

"Yes, he did steal it. Snowflake Through the Glass was the name of the most expensive diamond of all time. It didn't look much like a diamond so people were often confused by it. It was probably the last thing he ever stole. No one ever saw it and the world was surprised when he managed to take it. Everyone searched for that jewel for days and they were looking for Eros. However, neither was found and the police put out a reward for them."

"Do you know what happened to him?"

"I only heard of one story. Eros was running away after stealing that diamond and it was a very cold night. A lot of trees had icicles hanging from them and there was frost and snow everywhere. That didn't stop him from stealing anything, of course. Supposedly, he was running through the woods and he couldn't see anything in front of him. All of a sudden, he slipped through some thin ice and fell into the cold water. He tried to get out but was unable to do so. I guess he ended up drowning."

"If that's the case, did they ever find his body?"

Another pause. "No. People search every body of water but neither Eros nor the diamond were found. After a while, they just gave up looking for him but they still want the diamond. Even though no one knows what it looks like, they want to get a hold of it."

"What will happen if someone does get it?"

"Well, the possess the most expensive thing in the world. They become the richest person ever. Can you see why people would want it?"

Yuuri did understand why this was so valuable. He also began to wonder if there was some truth to what the eyewitness saw. They claimed that Eros had drowned even though they took it back. However, it was possible there was some truth to that. It would explain why Eros disappeared so suddenly. If it was deep in some woods where no one was around, no one would be able to find his body. By the time anyone did, he would be long gone. 

"Why do you want to know so much about this?" Minako asked. "Did they ask you to cover a story on Eros?"

"No, I'm just curious. I heard his name mentioned a few times. I also heard about Snowflake Through the Looking Glass so I wanted to know what that was. Thanks, Minako-sensei. You've helped me more than you realize."

"Of course. If you need anything, I'm still around."

After he hung up, he thought about what she had said. A lot of it made sense but he felt like she had left huge chunks of the story out. She was giving him the bare minimum and he still had no idea where that strange voice had come from. The only one who could tell him that was his mother and he wasn't able to get a hold of her. For now, he'd have to do some research. He needed to find the story about the eyewitness who claimed to see Eros drown. 

There were few bits and pieces online about this. The eyewitness was apparently a Czech man who had run into the woods to play a prank on his friends that night. He had hidden behind a tree when Eros supposedly showed up after stealing Snowflake Through the Looking Glass. At first, he didn't know where the noise was coming from. Then he heard someone cry out and a splash of water. He tried to figure out what it was but it was so dark that he didn't know where he was going. He could still hear someone trying to cry out for help but couldn't find that person.

_This doesn't sound like something a person would make up. I can see it happening. Why would he change his story?_

Then he read on and found parts that sounded a little more odd. The man had finally come to an area where he saw a group of people standing around a frozen body of water. He had assumed it was some cult and that was why he couldn't approach them. He didn't want to interrupt their ritual and he couldn't hear what they were saying. He thought they were speaking another language and it was too dark to see who they were. The only one he could understand was Eros begging for help yet no one helped him. Then everything went silent and he heard something that sounded like a cry. 

The description he gave of the area seemed too chilling. Yuuri could see it in his mind. It was a dark place surrounded by trees covered in frost and ice. The wind was howling and there was snow on the ground. Everything had frozen over the night before and there was a lake in the middle of it all. It was so gray and solid and could easily have been overlooked. If everything was true, then it made sense how Eros wouldn't have seen this lake. The water was black just like the sky. It wasn't a place anyone needed to be.

He closed his eyes and felt like he was there. He was in that dark place with the lake and trees with gnarled branches. He pictured Eros running through these woods and trying to escape from authorities. He was so sure he would get away that he paid no attention to where he was stepping. He didn't know where he was but he didn't care. He was running far away and no one could catch him. 

Suddenly, the entire scene went blurry and Yuuri couldn't see anything else. He heard voices again yet it was all garbled. Then he opened his eyes and found himself sweating. He was back in his apartment again and he felt lost. He was having visions and they were trying to tell him something. Unfortunately, all he had were pieces of this puzzle. There was something going and he couldn't figure it out. The visions he had made no sense. The voices he heard were confusing him. Snowflake Through the Glass and Eros confused him. 

The only sound that made sense in this vision was a baby crying out in the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lemme know what you think in comments or on tumblr @ fallsintograce!


	8. Date Night Take Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Date night part two and new turn in events...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told myself I needed to update something else instead of this. So what did I do? I update this. I swear I've not forgotten my other fics but I'm a little stuck on the others. I will unstick myself soon enough! A new un-betaed chap but I will fix my errors when I'm feeling a little better. (I'm a little under the weather tonight)
> 
> A quick note; I'll be out of town from the 17th till about the 28th and I probably won't write too much then. I will attempt to update something before I leave though, be it this or something else! I have to do it around my birthday, which is the 12th. But yes, something will happen! But thank you for sticking with me!
> 
> ETA: I've added a few extra parts to make things flow better.

It turned out that Phichit was right. A stuffy country club was not a place to have a date because they didn't really know anyone there. People over there talked about things that Yuuri had a hard time discussing. He could only smile and nod at them while wishing he was elsewhere. Here, it was different. This was one of their hangouts. This was a place where they did everything; eat, study, write, and other things in between. Not to mention, katsudon was far tastier than lamb lollipops and caviar. It was what he was craving for. He knew that once Victor got a taste of it, he would love it too. It would just depend on if Victor showed up or not.

"Are you sure he'll come?" Yuuri asked, feeling a little nervous. It wasn't the place this time but the fact that he had another date with Victor. Somehow, he managed to get another date with Victor. He had to make up for leaving suddenly. He couldn't explain the feeling he had but he would try to stay calm. "What if he got angry and decided to ditch me? I wouldn't blame him."

"I don't think Victor is that kind of person. He's probably confused but that's it. You should tell him you weren't feeling well. He'll understand."

That was the excuse Yuuri had been planning to use and it was partially true. He hadn't been feeling well ever since he went to that lake. All he could think about were the voices he heard. He could picture his mother telling a stranger about something but who was it? Then he thought about what Minako-sensei had told him. Eros had supposedly drowned in that lake and no one was there to save him. But what did Eros have to do with him? Why did his mind keep focusing on that lake and the voices? He needed to talk to his mother when he got a chance. He needed to find out if he was going crazy or if there was some truth behind it.

“Were you able to find out anything else about Eros?” He asked Phichit as they were seated. They had found their usual spot, far from most people and hidden in dim lights. It was also close to the window so they could see the cars driving by and people walking. 

“Nothing that we haven’t heard of yet.” Phichit shrugged. “I did find that story you told me about. The guy who claims Eros drowned sounded drunk and it's like he wanted attention. He says he was doing to impress his girlfriend. At the same time, I think there is some truth to what he said. If it was deep in the woods, that would explain why no one came to help.”

“I just want to know why I keep dreaming of lakes. Do people really think I’m Eros or something?”

“Only V called you Eros. Maybe you do look like him but it’s just a coincidence. I know you. I know you’re not some immortal creature that’s been living for years and stealing things. You’re far better than Eros could be.”

“Thanks.” Yuuri looked down at the menu. “Actually, I don’t need this. I know what I want. Now you have to tell me what you know about The Winter Lily.”

“Again, I don’t have very much on that. It’s worth a lot and it actually used to belong to a famous queen back in the day. It went missing and no one found it for years. Then it showed up one day and now is on display. Of course, the descendants of the queen want that necklace back and guess who doesn’t want to give it back?”

Yuuri nodded. “Didn’t you say that was the case with the other two things V stole? They actually belonged to someone else first?”

“That’s true.” Phichit raised his brow. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“That maybe V isn’t just stealing because he wants? He’s stealing things that once belonged to someone else?” Yuuri finished off. “Hmm, that does explain why he’s after these particular items. Do you think he might be related to all the people who used to own them?”

“He could be a descendant but I don’t know for sure. All of this is giving me a headache.” Phichit sighed. “Is it just me or have we both been feeling really ill lately? We’re going to run out of aspirin soon.”

“It all started when we went after V. I got that pull from him but I don’t know anything about him. How am I supposed to find out anything if he escapes so easily?”

“Actually, I have a plan this time.” Phichit murmured. “This time, we’re going to catch him!” 

“What?!” Yuuri hissed. “That’s impossible! He has evaded everyone that’s tried to go after him! If the police can’t catch him, how can we do it?”

“By using live bait.” Phichit winked at him. “I can think of one thing V might be more interested in than the necklace. It would be the one thing that could pull him away from it. Are you getting what I’m saying?”

Yuuri got it right away and shook his head. “No. I’m not going to do it. I refuse to do it!” 

“You have to! It may be our best bet in figuring out who he is, stopping him, and wondering why he thinks you’re Eros. I’m not asking you to do much. Just hang around the area. If you’re there, he’s bound to show up. He seems interested in you.”

“What if he knocks me out again? I know he’s the one who drugged me. I was fine up until that moment.” Yuuri murmured. “I don’t know if this is a good idea, Phichit. Are you even sure it will work?”

“He’s your soulmate, Yuuri. He’ll be drawn to you.” 

Yuuri had been trying his hardest to forget about the fact that V was his soulmate. The more he tried to deny it, the more drawn he felt towards him. He didn’t want to admit it but he did want to know more about V. He had to know more about his soulmate. The problem was that he had more interest in Victor Nikiforov and who wouldn’t? This was Victor Nikiforov, the legend. This was the man Yuuri had looked up to his entire life. He was the kind of person people would have given their left arm for. Yuuri had dreams that Victor was his soulmate but those dreams were now dashed. Instead, his soulmate was a thief and now he was torn. He didn't want to be a with a thief because it wouldn't last. 

“Yuuri~~~! Are you in here?”

Yuuri sat up to find Victor with Christophe Giacometti and waved to them. “We’ve over here, Victor!”

Once they found the table, Victor slid in next to him and their shoulders were touching each other. Yuuri could feel some tiny pull between them but tried to brush it aside. It must have been his headache coming back. He ignored it and began to apologize. “Look, Victor, about what happened…I never meant to ditch you. I was...I wasn't feeling well...”

“Yuuri, you don’t have to say anything!” Victor insisted. “I understand! I should say sorry for taking you somewhere you didn’t want to be.”

“It’s a beautiful place, don’t get me wrong! I just...I wasn’t feeling well. I think it must have been something I ate. Plus it was a country club and I’m not used to that scene. This place is more of my style.”

“It’s very tiny.” Chris noted, sliding next to Phichit. Yuuri looked over at his friend and noticed that Phichit was blushing. His cheeks had a tint of pink to them and he was glancing over at Chris. “I can see why you like it. It’s not far away but it’s packed.”

“It’s always packed.” Phichit murmured, his mind going elsewhere. Then he realized that Chris was talking about where they were. “Oh, yes! Yes, this place is always full of people! But they make the best katsudon! Isn’t that right, Yuuri?”

“Katsudon?” Victor turned to Yuuri.

“Oh, it’s a pork-cutlet bowl. It’s one of my favorite things to eat.” Yuuri explained. “While it’s not the same as my mother's, this place comes close enough. It's where I come when I'm feeling homesick and just want to eat something good and filling.” 

“I would like to try it.”

The way Victor smiled at him was enough to make Yuuri want to melt through the floor. Still, he had to stay focused. He had to act like a normal human being and not run away. He didn’t want to embarrass himself especially since he had a story to cover tonight. V was supposed to strike and he wanted to be there. Over in the corner of the room, he saw that the TV was on the news and they were talking about the latest notice. While he couldn’t hear it, he could see the closed captioned words scrolling on the bottom. As of now, the police had no leads but were doing what they could to protect the necklace. The family had been asked to move away and stay in an undisclosed location. Security was tight and every corner was covered. V would not be able to get in so easily. If he tried anything, someone would capture him.

Yuuri looked over at Victor and saw that he was watching the TV as well. “You’ve been following along with this?”

Victor nodded but said nothing. He just kept staring at what was being said and the shots of the necklace. It was indeed very beautiful and was being kept in a hidden location in the house. V would never be able to locate it, no matter what he tried. According to the news, not even the legendary Eros would have been able to find this. 

Eros. Somehow, it all came back to Eros.

“I know you told me everything about Eros already but do you remember anything else about your attack? How about the men that attacked you? I know it’s difficult to remember but maybe I can help you find Eros.” Yuuri suggested.

“I don’t think you can. Eros is gone.” Victor shook his head. “I don’t think he wanted to be found. He saved me and that was it. I thought he might have been my soulmate but I never felt a pull. I still don’t know who my real soulmate is.”

He knew he was lying through his teeth here but he couldn’t reveal anything to Yuuri. The heist was tonight and he had to stay calm. He told himself many times that Yuuri and Eros were two different people. Eros was gone but his treasure had been left behind. There would be a time to get that. Until then, he had to focus on the smaller things. It was a shame that he would have to leave so early. It was such a beautiful night out that he wanted to go somewhere else with Yuuri. He wanted to forget the heist and take Yuuri out to the park or maybe drive for many hours to a beach. If nothing else, he wanted to go to a movie with him or even just sit in a quiet place together. However, V was never late with his heists and he couldn’t afford to be late now. They had a schedule to maintain.

His mind was pulled away from the TV when the food arrived. The katsudon looked amazing with all its bright colors and the smell was divine. Nothing prepared him for the taste though. It was a mash of flavors that all melted on his tongue. His eyes widened as soon as he tasted it and he let out a loud “Vkusno!” Yuuri was startled at this exclamation but he knew it meant something good. 

“This is so good!” He exclaimed. 

“Can you see why it’s my favorite?” Yuuri asked, relaxing and smiling now. Now that he had seen how much Victor liked Katsudon, he was feeling better. The TV had also switched over to some basketball game so he was no longer worried about what V could do. 

“Much better than what we had last time.” Victor agreed. “You have to bring me here more often.”

“Is that an invitation?”

Yuuri had not meant to make that sound so sexy but everyone had heard it. He went from being excited to embarrassed. “Ah, sorry! I didn’t mean it like that! I just...I wanted to say that we can come back here anytime. If you really like it, I can bring you some! I mean, we can…” He stopped himself. “I have no idea what I’m saying.”

“Smooth.” Chris snickered on the side. Phichit snapped a picture of the moment and Yuuri felt like dying inside. This was not how he wanted this date to go. 

“Yuuri, it’s all right.” Victor trying to calm him down. “I know what you meant. And yes, we can come back here again. I just wish we could do more tonight.”

“Ah, I wish we could but Yuuri and I have work to do.” Phichit shrugged. “This is a big story and everyone’s counting on us. Besides, it’s probably not safe to walk around while that V guy is at large.”

Victor and Chris exchanged looks at that moment, knowing very well that they would have to leave soon. They didn’t have much time before the heist began. Mila had sent them both a text telling them to hurry up. It would take them a while to get to where the necklace was hidden. She had figured out that they had moved the real thing and put it in a locked room in the basement. It would be easy to find because they had hidden it in the washing machine. The silly people thought that no one would look there. 

“I think we should call it a night.” Chris decided, putting his phone away. “Victor and I have a lot to do as well.”

“Oh, really? You have no room for dessert?” Phichit looked disappointed. “I know a place that makes really good chocolate fondue. It’s just next door!”  
“I am tempted but not tonight. I will keep that in mind though. Maybe next time, I’ll save room for dessert.”

Yuuri turned to Victor. “I don’t suppose you can do dessert.”

Victor shook his head. “I have to go but next time…”

“So there will be a next time?” Yuuri perked up. He hoped he didn’t come off too excited by that. “I mean, yes, of course! Anytime! We can come here or go somewhere else or wherever you want! I’m busy most mornings but I’m usually free at night! You have my number so you can text me or call or_” He cut himself off. “I’m sorry, I’m talking too fast. I just meant that I'm okay with seeing you again.” 

There was a small pause between them as Victor got up to leave. Yuuri wanted to say something more but before he could, Victor leaned over and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. The moment his lips touched Yuuri’s skin, it felt like someone had shocked him. He had dreamed about this moment and most people would have killed to be in his spot. There were men and women who were dying to be kissed by Victor. 

“Thank you for a nice time. I can’t wait for the next date.” 

“Yeah...next time.” Yuuri murmured, touching his face. He felt something tug inside but he didn’t want to believe it. It couldn’t be a soulmate tug. The only time he felt those were when he was near V and Victor couldn’t be V. Victor was too kind to be a criminal. 

Once Victor had left, Phichit moved closer to Yuuri and waved his phone around. “I saw that. I have proof.”

“I know.” Yuuri sighed, leaning against the wall. He almost forgot about where he was or what happened. He didn’t want to leave and chase after V tonight. He just wanted to go home and dream about Victor. He wanted to plan the next date and take Victor to a million places. He wanted to tell him everything that was on his mind. 

“Come on.” Phichit nudged him. “We have a story to write and it’s not going to write itself. Are you ready to be live bait?”

“Yes. Not that I have much of a choice” Yuuri murmured. He half-heard the question but felt ready to take on anything. He could handle V now. He was not going to fall for those charms. He would not lose consciousness or do anything with the thief. He only cared about Victor. 

It didn’t matter who his real soulmate was. He wanted Victor.

~ ~ ~  
Chris had seen all the tension between Victor and Yuuri and he had memories of that kiss. It was the first time in a long time that he saw Victor ease up and have fun with someone. As they were walking away, he thought that it was a shame they ended things early. He could tell that Victor’s mind was on anything but the upcoming heist. 

“You’re going to have to tell him.” He reminded him. “Yuuri needs to know the truth.”

“When can I tell him?” Victor asked, feeling guilty about all the lies again. “I wanted to stay but_”

“But we can’t. Hell, I wanted to go for that fondue with his friend. He was making all kinds of puns about dropping fruit in chocolate.” Chris chuckled, then got serious. “Really though, how long can you hide this from him? You went after him only because you thought he was Eros. Victor, Eros is probably dead now! Yuuri is a completely different person and...from what it sounds like, he is your real soulmate. He is the one you were meant to be with. You can’t keep this a secret forever.”

“And I won’t.” Victor promised. “When the time is right, I will tell Yuuri everything. I know I can’t do this forever and I won’t. I just have to wait.”

“Don’t wait too long. You don’t know what can happen if you take too much time.” Chris warned him. “I should be telling this to myself though. His friend is someone special and I don’t know how he’ll react if he finds out too. We don’t want to hurt them but…” Victor closed his eyes for a second. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt Yuuri but he knew that was likely to happen. He had to ease Yuuri into this somehow. That time would come but he had to get ready. They had a necklace they needed to steal. There was a mission they needed to complete.

“Enough about that. Let’s go.” Chris whispered. “Everyone’s waiting for us. V made a promise, right?” He grinned at him. “We can’t keep them waiting for long. Plus I think your Eros will be there. You can’t disappoint him, can you?”  
Victor smiled. “Then why are we still here? I do feel guilty about doing this to Yuuri.”

“It will be worth it. We have to make sure it works. Georgi claims it does but you know him. Half of his love potions don’t work. However, the things that need to work do. Try it out on Yuuri and this will be the best heist.” 

“Are you sure Yuuri will be there?”

“I know it. You asked for him and he’s going to show up. Those reporters want to know everything. Take his friend for example. He asked me a million questions. He wants to know about me. I have no doubt that Yuuri is the same way. He’ll ask you questions. He wants the truth.”

“I’ll tell him one day.” Victor promised. “I’ll tell him soon.” 

It just wasn’t going to be now. 

~ ~ ~

Yuuri was not thrilled that he was going to be the live bait for this. He didn’t think it was going to work as he was standing too far from where he needed to be. V wasn’t going to notice him. He was just one person walking around and waiting for something. No one could bother him out here but he was feeling a little scared. This wasn’t an area he liked to hang around especially at night. A few months ago, someone had been murdered in this neighborhood and the killer was still on the loose. Now this neighborhood had V to worry about. 

“I don’t like this idea.” He said for the eighteenth time, pacing around to stay warm. “I don’t think he’s going to go after me out here. He’s more interested in that necklace.”

“He’ll come after you.” Phichit promised. “He wants to see Eros, which is you.”

“No, it isn’t. He just thinks I’m Eros.” Yuuri shrugged. “He’s going to be disappointed when he finds out who I really am. What do I do? Do I just stand here?”

“Yeah, stand there. He’ll find you. In the meantime, I’m over here for support!” Phichit waved from his hiding place and went back into the darkness. He would be watching and would jump in if Yuuri was in trouble. 

“Some support.” Yuuri murmured, looking up at the sky. Everything felt cold suddenly. The clouds floated over the moon and he couldn’t see a star out there. The scene was just too eerie and he didn’t know if he wanted to play live bait anymore. He wanted to go home now and just think about Victor. He couldn’t forget that kiss. He only wished that it had been on the lips. There was something about that kiss but he couldn’t pinpoint it. 

_I feel like I know him from somewhere. He thought. There’s something about him that seems familiar but what is it? Why do I feel like I know him?_

Then he felt someone’s arms around him and a voice whisper in his ear, “I’m sorry to keep you waiting, Eros. Did you miss me?” 

Yuuri was going to say that he wasn’t Eros but gave up. He had a job to do. “I’ve been waiting for this moment. I knew you would show up. Are you going to tell me who you are?”

“You already know, my love. I’m your soulmate.”

“Mmm, nice try but that’s not good enough. I want to know you.” Yuuri knew how to play this game. He was terrified deep down but didn’t want it to show on his face. Something felt off about this scene. Where was Phichit? Why wasn’t he running in to save him? “How can I be your soulmate if i don’t know who you are? Besides, what makes you think I won’t tell anyone that you’re here? I could start screaming.”

“You won’t.” V murmured, grabbing him and carrying him in his arms. Yuuri still didn’t get a good look at V’s face because he was stunned. The thief was strong and had no issues hoisting him into the air. “Oh, I’ve wanted to do that for a while!”

“Put me down!” Yuuri insisted. “I thought you wanted The Winter Lily, not me!”

“I want both actually. I’m kidnapping you!”

“What?! No, let me go!” Yuuri tried to get out of his grasp. When that didn’t seem to work, he tried call out for help. “Help! Someone help me! I found him! I…”

“Nice try, Eros, but I can’t have you ruining my plans.” A strange smell filled up Yuuri’s nostrils. It wasn’t the same thing he smelled before but it was making his mind spin. His vision was blurry again yet he wasn’t falling asleep. “I didn’t want to do this again but…”

“No, you can’t!” Yuuri felt his eyelids growing heavy. “Phichit! Where are you?! I need you! Phichit, help me! Someone help!” 

“He can’t. I’ve taken care of him. He'll be out for some time. It was easy to put him to sleep. He didn't feel anything.” V purred, still cradling Yuuri in his arms. “Now we can have fun. You and I are going to have a lot of fun.”

“No, if you hurt him…” Yuuri never was able to finish his sentence. He couldn’t close his eyes but he was unable to get out of this trance. He had no more control over his body or his mind. He was awake and completely out of it. He wanted to fight back and say something. He wanted to scream but something was keeping from doing it. He felt limp while he was standing. He couldn’t do anything but stare ahead. Even his mind wasn’t working like before. He felt empty. He was a puppet now. He could be used in any way and he wouldn’t know until he snapped out of his trance. That wouldn’t happen for the next hour and that was more than enough time to use him. 

Right behind him, V whispered in his ear. “Good, it worked. And now, Eros, you’re going to do everything I say.”

“Yes…” Yuuri murmured. “Everything you say.” 

“And now...you’re going to steal The Winter Lily for me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun dun!!!! (I swear I know what I'm doing, y'all)
> 
> Next part will involve more heist and more Russians and (finally) some Mila/Sara. I know I took forever to get to them but they are coming as well as more Phichimetti! 
> 
> Lemme know what you think and feel free to follow me on tumblr: https://fallsintograce.tumblr.com/


	9. Vanilla Iguana

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Parties and the truth comes out...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize ahead of time for the chapter title. I was trying to come up with something better and I couldn't XD. If I get a chance, I will fix that. Anyway, I am going on a trip on Wednesday but I wanted to get this next part out of the way and hit 40K on this fic. Well, we're here and I apologize for any errors. I will take care of anything funky before I go though!

_The trees had no leaves on them and it was a cold night as he made his way through the forest. He had nothing to fear since he was only the greatest thief of all time. No one had been able to slow him down. No one could stop him. He could feel the dead leaves crunching under his feet but nothing else was around. Maybe a few nocturnal animals were lurking about but they weren’t going to stop him. Literally, no one could touch Eros._

_He just needed to make it to his hideout. He could stay there until morning and then he would head home. He looked down at the diamond in his hand. It sparkled brightly, the only light that could guide him through this darkness. He was almost free. He would make it and he would get away the biggest heist of the century._

_The diamond, Snowflake Through the Looking Glass, was blinding and bright. It was worth more than the Hope Diamond itself and whoever owned it would be the richest human on the planet. He was running so fast that he didn’t see what he was running on. The grass was dead and soon replaced with snow and ice. Still, he moved forward. He slipped a few times but he kept running. Home was just a few feet away. He took another step._

_And that was when the ground gave away and he went down into the icy cold water. Snowflake Through the Looking Glass fell out of his hand and floated away. He didn’t know which he wanted more; the diamond or life. He kept looking at the diamond and it got brighter in front of him. He felt like he was standing right front of the headlights of a speeding car. He was moving further down in the water but he wanted Snowflake Through the Looking Glass. He didn’t spend his entire night for nothing. He needed it. His hand reached out as the light got brighter._

**“LOOK OUT!”**

Yuuri snapped out of whatever reverie he was in as someone pulled him from the middle of the streets. He had no time to react as he was brought to the ground and a car speed by. It had been real. He had been standing in front of headlights, dreaming about something. Slowly, reality was sinking in and he found himself staring into a pair of beautiful blue eyes. He felt dizzy but the person on top of him refused to get up. He wanted to reach up and grab them.

“Who...what…” He tried to get out a question but couldn't. Very little made sense to him.

“Eros…” Someone murmured and that brought him back. He was staring back at V, the newest phantom thief who had been causing problems. His head was hurting but he wanted to get away. He tried to crawl back and pull himself from V’s grasp.

“Stay away from me!” He demanded as V moved away. “What did you do?!”

V smiled. “Nothing. You will be fine. Thank you for helping me by the way.”

“What are you talking about? I didn’t help you!” Yuuri's hands went up to fight back but ended up touching V's waist instead. He wanted to claw away at something but fingers brushed against V's belt. He felt something on it...a knife? No, that wasn't it. Whatever it was, it made V giggle. Yuuri had no intention of poking him in the stomach but that was exactly what happened. He was giggling like Pilsbury Dough Boy getting poked. "What are you laughing at? I'm not helping you with anything."

“Oh, you did help me. You helped me more than anyone else could. Then again, I expected nothing less from you, Eros. You were always the best.”

“For the hundredth time, I’m not Eros!” Yuuri tried to claw away at V. He had watched enough crime shows to know that people would sometimes get DNA under their fingernails. That DNA could help track down criminals. If he was lucky, he would be able to get V’s DNA under his nails. The problem was that V moved a lot faster than he did and he still felt slow. “Who are you?! What do you want from me?!”

Before V had a chance to answer, someone else yelled. “There he is! Get him!”

“Ah, I have to leave! Thanks for everything!” V blew Yuuri a kiss before running off. Yuuri’s vision was still hazy and he knew he had been drugged. He tried to grab at V but only managed to get a little loose gold thread between his fingers. That wouldn’t be enough for anything. 

“After him! Don’t stop until you get that thief!”

Yuuri nearly fell over when he tried to sit up. Someone went over to see how he was doing but he couldn’t make sense of anything. People were all around him and checking his vital signs. He was fine physically but his head felt like it was in a giant cloud. Most of it had to do with his dream. He didn’t understand what the dream was about nor did he understand what V was talking about. What had he done? He looked down at his hands but they looked normal, albeit a little dirty. It was hard for him to figure out what had happened.

“Yuuri! Yuuri, there you are! It's okay! I'm his friend! Let me see him! I need to see him!”

He looked up to find Phichit running up to him. Now things were starting to come together as his friend got to his side. Once there, Phichit threw his arms around Yuuri. “Oh, there you are! I’m glad you’re okay!”

“Me too! What happened to you?”

“I don’t know. I was in the hiding spot when someone came up from behind and I started to smell something funny. Before I knew it, I fell asleep. I have a feeling it was V trying to knock me out. I wanted to warn you that V was close by but…”

“Yeah, I ran into him too. I don’t know what he did to me because I was in a trance.” Yuuri murmured. “I had another vision again. This time, I think I was seeing things through Eros’ eyes. I imagined that he fell through ice and...that’s about the time V saved me. I guess he pushed me out of the way but I never figured out who he was.”

“V saved you?” Phichit was confused. "You are talking about the same guy that just stole The Winter Lily, right?"

“Yes. He had the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen. I feel like I’ve seen them before but my head…” He rubbed his head. “I think he drugged me too. It's a different drug but I feel so faint.”

“Ah, it seems like you weren’t the only one he drugged.” A police officer said, approaching them. “I’m glad you’re safe and it seems like you’ll both be fine. We also found this one trying to swim in the fountain.” He stepped aside to reveal Minami, looking completely dazed and wrapped up in a towel. “He was naked and shouting strange things.”

Minami cackled and raised his fists in the air. “I am the Lord of the McNuggets! Ha ha ha!”

Yuuri and Phichit exchanged looks. “Is...Is he going to be okay?”

“I think he will be fine. He was drugged but I think it affected him differently. Physically, he seems fine. We think he took his clothes off and got in the fountain after he was drugged. He must have been following you two around.”

“Yeah, that sounds like him. I guess he will be able to shake that off.” Phichit nodded. “How about V? Did he get away?”

“Unfortunately. However, you two can help us out a little bit. Since V got close enough to you, we can use everything about him. We need all the help we can get.”

Yuuri and Phichit talked to the police for a little longer, trying to figure out what happened. Yuuri’s mind was on that vision he had earlier. It might have been a dream but it felt real. He was slowly starting to believe that it was true. Eros had died by falling through thin ice and drowning. He just couldn’t figure out what happened after that moment. Where did Snowflake Through the Looking Glass go? And what did his mother have to do with all this?

“The only thing I can tell you about V is that he has really beautiful blue eyes. They are framed with big, thick lashes. He also giggles if you poke his waist.” He murmured. “I know that won’t help much though. I can’t stop thinking about them because they seem so familiar.” He looked down at the gold thread between his fingers. “I tried to scratch his face so I could get skin cells or blood. I know that can help you but all I got was this.”

They took the thread from him. “That can be of help anyway. Thanks. As for you two, you should probably head home. If you remember anything else, we’ll stay in touch. Just if you see him again, don’t approach him. Let us know and we will take care of him.”

By now, Minami had fallen asleep and they promised to get him home in one piece. The drug that he had gotten wasn’t going to affect him later but it was still a strange night. Bits and pieces of this puzzle were coming together yet the main questions remained unanswered. He didn’t know if it was the drugs but he could have sworn that V had used him in this heist. This time around felt different. It felt like they had known each other and he wished he could see who was truly behind that mask. Blue eyes didn’t mean anything. A lot of people had blue eyes. There was something more to those eyes though. He saw some intelligence and sweetness. Obviously, V did have a heart or else he would have let Yuuri get hit by a car. He wouldn’t have tried to save him.

The one thing he needed to do was talk to his parents. He was able to talk a few times with his family but for brief moments. No one ever mentioned Eros. Whenever he brought this up, they would change the subject. They didn’t want to talk about Eros, no matter how hard he tried to press on. It seemed like his only option was to keep looking up articles about Eros and the days before his disappearance. Then he needed to find the connection between that and V.

Yuuri had tried his hardest to forget about this night but V was on his mind. He couldn’t figure out what happened from the moment he was drugged to the moment where he was almost run over. It was like he was missing a good chunk of time in his life. He felt that way all through morning when he made it to work. He had gotten a few messages from all over, including Victor who heard about the fiasco. He wanted to see if Yuuri was all right. Yuuri sent back a message to say he was fine but he had to meet with his boss. Evidently, word about last night spread everywhere. Someone even had video of Minami yelling he was the Lord of McNuggets to the sky. It was the one thing Yuuri had been dreading as he came into work. Now everyone knew about this and he was worried about how Minami was doing. He never expected V to attack anyone else.

“Minami will be fine. He’s resting at home today. I need to talk with him when he comes back. He shouldn’t have gone without me giving him permission.” His boss explained. “He should be well and ready to work before you know it. I’m glad all of you are fine.”

“I don’t know what went wrong there.” Yuuri admitted. “I still feel like I’m in a daze. What did he give me?”

“No one knows. They don’t think it’s harmful so you should be fine within a day or two. I’ve heard about what happened so I think I might give you both something that will be easier to handle.” He began. “I’m sure you’ll like this idea. I couldn’t think of anyone better to give it to.”

“Then please give it to me.” Yuuri suggested. “I could use a distraction.”

“I would like you to interview Victor Nikiforov.”

Yuuri’s face paled at that moment. It was both, his biggest dream and worst nightmare at the same time. “Really? Are you sure you wouldn’t want to give this to someone more experienced?”

“Well, you are very good at what you do and I know you are a big fan of Victor’s. Everyone told me you went to the country club with him. It only seems right that you get to interview him. I know you’ll do a fantastic job.”

Interviewing Victor was indeed something Yuuri wanted but he wasn’t sure about it anymore. He didn’t know if he could be professional around him. Asking him to the country club was one thing but an interview for the paper was different. Still, anything was better than trying to chase V and getting drugged up. It would also keep his mind off the odd dreams. “All right, I can do it. I’ll work on it tonight.”

“That’s fine. I know many of you have asked to work overnight so you can join them. All I ask is that you do not throw any parties. I remember what happened the last time I let you all work overnight. Your friend posted the pictures of you all over social media.”

Yuuri winced, remembering that night all too well. It was a night where they were supposed to work but ended up getting drunk instead. Phichit had plenty of photos from that moment when Yuuri had attempted to pole dance with a rake. Since that night, Yuuri vowed he would not get wasted and he would use his late night time wisely.

“I won’t do anything but write tonight.” He promised.

“I know you won’t. You’ll make me proud with your next article. I’m sure of it.”

Once he left the office, he was approached by Phichit who had invitations to a party tonight in the office. Naturally, if their boss told them one thing, they had to do another. It was also BYOB night, which Yuuri was going to avoid. He promised that he would write tonight and he would do that. He just needed to set up a time to talk to Victor and ask him some questions. He didn’t care that there was going to be another party across the street where all the figure skaters would. Apparently, a lot of press members would be there to hear about the upcoming season but it was a very private event. Only certain people were allowed in it and a select few members of the press. These were people who were famous and only mingled with the famous and wealthy. It killed Yuuri to know that Victor would be just across the street yet he couldn’t see him. He could have gotten the interview out of the way sooner.

“Don’t worry. We’ll have our own little party and it’ll probably be better.” Phichit promised. “You don’t have to do much. Just hang out down here.”

“I guess I can.” Yuuri shrugged. “I’ll stay for an hour but then I’m going back to work. I need to finish writing this.”

“I know, I know. It’ll be great though! We have a DJ coming in and everything! Oh, they also got a chocolate fountain! It’s going to be fun, Yuuri! Honestly, you need a break from all this. It’s too much and we need to unwind. A little party isn’t going to hurt anyone. You’ll see. It’s going to be great!”

Yuuri nodded, taking in everything Phichit said. He was right. A little party wouldn’t hurt anybody out here. He could stay for a few hours, talk with a few friends, and then work. That was a plan and he could unwind from the craziness of the past few days.

It was only a small party. What was the worst that could happen?

~ ~ ~

Victor was a little bored at the party. He was surrounded by people from press asking him questions but none of these reporters were Yuuri. All he could do was politely answer them and give them what they wanted to hear. Yet no one was challenging him. No one was asking him a question that he didn’t get before. None of them were like Yuuri. Yuuri wasn’t good at reporting things, he was good at describing them. He made people feel like they were there in that moment. He knew how to make them see things, not just tell them what was happening.

The party was in full swing and everyone looked like they were having a good time except for the skaters themselves. Yakov was happy as always and telling the press that this season was going to be the best. It was all fine and dandy but the affair was boring as usual. He found himself standing outside and wishing he was with Yuuri instead. Somehow, Yuuri or Eros or whoever he was made life a little more fun. There was something about him that drew them close and it wasn’t just the fact that they were soulmates. So far, Yuuri didn’t know who Victor really was. If he did, he hadn’t said anything.

“Fuck, this sucks!” Yuri complained, joining Victor outside. His friend, Otabek, had gone off to DJ somewhere else. “How much longer do we have to stay here? I asked Otabek if I could go with him but he said no because I was too young. This was a secret place and I wasn’t invited! I wish we had another heist or something.”

“Keep your voice down!” Mila hissed, arriving from behind with Sara. The two of them seemed to be the only ones enjoying this party. They had spent all night dancing and needed a break. “We can’t do another one now. The last one almost got us caught. We need another plan and Georgi needs to make better potions. Remember what happened that other boy? That was a big mistake!"

No one could forget about the Lord of the McNuggets. For some reason, he wasn’t knocked out but he was very loopy. It was a miracle that he didn’t run into traffic like Yuuri did. Then Victor would have to save two people. He could still picture Yuuri’s deep brown eyes on him. The two of them could do nothing but stare at each other. Yuuri’s lips were inviting Victor to kiss them but he couldn’t do it. Before he could react, the police were on his tail. He was very lucky that he was able to escape. Yuuri hadn't managed to hurt him either or find out his identity. Still, it was very risky. What they were doing was putting a lot of lives on the line as well as their futures. The moment Yuuri discovered the truth, that was it.

“We’re just going to need a better plan next time.” Yuri murmured. “And Victor needs to stop chasing after that dumb piggy guy. What’s your deal with him anyway?”

Victor sighed, staring out at the building across. He could hear music coming from the distance and now he was curious. It was happening downstairs in the building across the street because he could see a few lights were on. Whatever it was, it looked like it was more fun than what he was dealing with over here. He could go to check it out and then come back before anyone knew he was gone. He turned around and started to run down the stairs.

“Hey! Where are you going?” Yuri demanded.

“Out!” Victor kept making his way down. “I have to see what that is!”

“What do you mean? It’s just lights and music and somebody else having a better time than we are!” Mila added. “Yakov is going to be angry if you leave!”

“He’ll be fine! This is not the first time I’ve done this! Yakov knows I like to explore places!” Victor assured them. “Besides, I will be back before he knows I’m gone!”

“Oh, wait! Don’t go without us!” Mila looked at Sara. “I'm so sorry about this. Do you mind…”

Sara shook her head. “I will keep Yakov distracted if you want me to. Just come back safely, okay?”

“I will.” Mila leaned over to give her a kiss. “I’m sorry about all this.”

“Don’t be. I know everything will be fine in the end. I will protect you if anything goes wrong. I can hold everyone back for you.” 

“You are just so good to me.” 

They kissed each other one more time before Yuri tried to drag Mila away. Victor, on the other hand, had already made his way outside and was talking to Chris. Chris had been taking a walk and decided to check out the building across the street. It turned out that the newspaper staff was having a party down there and someone had brought the alcohol to it. It already sounded ten times better than what they were dealing with.

“I was coming here to save you.” Chris whispered. “I think you’re going to like what you’re going to see over there.”

“Is Yuuri there?” Victor asked.

“Oh, he’s there, all right. And that’s not all.”

Victor soon found what Chris meant when they arrived. Not only was Yuuri there, he was already drunk and attempting to pole dance. He was already half-naked and attempting to spin around when he saw Victor and began to wave at him. From the looks of it, he was on his sixteen glass of champagne and still standing.

“My vanilla iguana!” He exclaimed, running over and throwing himself into Victor’s arms. “Oh, I missed you!”

Yuri mouthed ‘Vanilla iguana?’ to the others who could only shrug. He wondered just how much Yuuri had been drinking now as he saw him rubbing himself against Victor’s chest. He felt something tug at him but didn't pay attention. It had to be the atmosphere making them both feel a little strange.

“Mmm, your boobs…” Yuuri giggled. “Vanilla iguana, wanna dance with me?”

“Yuuri...Yuuri, it’s me.” Victor tried to pull away as Yuuri grinded against him. That was enough to make him start laughing again. “Oh, Yuuri! That tickles!”

“Is he all right?” Chris whispered. “He looks completely out of it.”

“He’ll be fine. He’s drunk a lot of champagne before and he came out perfectly okay the next morning. He was feeling a little blue and overwhelmed with work today so he decided to unwind.” Phichit came over to them. “Hi, guys! How did you know we were having a party?! Well, technically we’re not supposed to be having a party but you know...rules were made for breaking.” He winked at them. “Just don’t tell our boss anything and we’ll be fine.”

“Are you kidding me? We’re trying to get away from our boring party! This is ten times better than what we were dealing with!” Mila exclaimed, looking over at the DJ’s table. “Oh, Yura, look who’s there!”

Yuri turned around and saw a familiar face being the DJ for this party. “That asshole! He gets to come here while we have to go to the boring party?! Hell no! I'm staying here!”

“Otabek’s lucky.” Mila admitted, looking over at Victor getting a lap dance from drunk Yuuri. “And so is someone else.”

Victor wasn’t embarrassed by any of this. If anything, he was turned out by Yuuri’s sexy side. No wonder he had mistaken him for Eros earlier. Yuuri was Eros in another life. He was vibrant, beautiful, and irresistible rolled into one. He could feel Yuuri’s thighs and crotch rubbing against him as he danced.

“Do you like it, vanilla iguana?” Yuuri murmured, getting close to Victor’s face. He could smell the alcohol on Yuuri’s breath but something else was far more intoxicating. The pull between them was tight. Would Yuuri be able to tell who Victor was now? “I don’t want to let you go.”

Victor could barely speak but he pulled Yuuri up to his feet. “Dance with me.”

“Yay!” Yuuri exclaimed, throwing his arms around him and almost knocking him over. “Let’s go dance and eat and dance!”

The next hour went by so fast that Victor felt like he was in a dream. Yuuri could dance all right and he had the perfect moves. He knew how to move seductively and he was drawing Victor closer to him. He did remember a few things such as them having a contest with the chocolate fountain and fruit. Apparently, anyone who accidentally dropped their fruit in the chocolate would have to kiss the person on their right. Yuuri was amazing at keeping his fruit from falling but Phichit failed and ended up dropping a strawberry into it. So naturally, Chris just happened to be on his right side.

“Oh, Phichit! Kiss him, kiss him!” People were chanting around him. The only one not chanting was Yuuri who was too busy trying to dance with his ‘vanilla iguana’. “I Touch Myself” was now playing while Phichit tried to get courage to give Chris a quick peck on the cheek. He was fast but managed to leave a tiny, chocolate mark on Chris’ face.

“Sorry.” He apologized, trying to hand him a napkin. “I didn’t mean to make a mess.”

“It’s all right. This isn’t the only sticky thing I’ve ever gotten on my face.” Chris teased, trying to wipe his face. “You’re fine.”

“VANILLA IGUANA!” Yuuri yelled out loud, trying to twirl Victor around. Then everyone screamed in delight and the music got louder. 

If Victor was embarrassed, he didn’t show it. He was having too much fun with Yuuri and laughing with him. He didn’t care about the pull between them. As far as he was concerned, he was having the time of his life. Yuuri kept calling him ‘vanilla iguana’ and trying to grind against him. His rear end was soft and plushy like his stomach. It was fun to squeeze him because Yuuri giggled anytime that happened. 

“You’re so cute, Yuuri!” Victor gushed. “Very cute!”

“You’re adorable, vanilla iguana. Be my life partner.” Yuuri murmured. “Be my husband, Victor!”

“Yuuri…”

“Be my husband, Victor!” He yawned. “My soulmate, iguana…” 

Within seconds, Yuuri had fallen asleep and Phichit realized it was time for them to go home. The party was dying down and they needed to clean up. That would have to wait till morning when everyone felt fresh and ready to tackle the day. Right now, almost everyone was out of it. Carrying Yuuri back home was going to be hard so Victor decided to call them a cab. He would have taken them himself but Yakov had sent a million messages demanding to know where everyone was. Apparently, they had missed a big moment and he was furious. It didn’t matter because tonight was far more magical. Yuuri looked more like Eros than before. He acted like Eros, seductive and alive. If he didn't know any better, he would have guessed this was truly Eros here.

“Sorry about all this.” Phichit apologized as Yuuri was put in the cab. He turned to Chris and took a breath. “We never meant to drag you away from anything important.”

“Ah, don’t worry. This was much better.” Chris assured him. “I’d rather be here with you than in there. I got tired of all of their questions.”

“Are you sure about that? We completely broke the boss’ rules and didn’t actually get any work done.” Phichit laughed. “And of course, Yuuri got drunk but he’ll be fine in the morning. I’ll make sure he gets to bed.”

“That’s good. As long as he gets better, that's all that matters.” 

They stood in front of each other for a second. Back in the room, “Hungry Eyes” was starting to play and the mood between them changed. Yuuri was snoring in the back of the cab while Victor tried talking to him and assuring things would be fine. They would see each other again when Yuuri was more sober. Since he was drunk, he probably couldn’t figure out what that pull between them was. He wasn’t in the right state of mind so they would be safe for now.

“You’ll be okay, Yuuri.” Victor gave him a kiss on the forehead. “I’ll see you soon. Be safe.”

“Vanilla iguana…” Yuuri murmured. “I love you.”

“Well...I guess I will…” Phichit started to say, turning over to Chris. He didn’t want to interrupt what was happening in the cab but he needed address what happened earlier with the fondue. “I think I should get him home. And about what happened earlier with the chocolate, I didn’t mean to_” 

Chris knew where this was headed so he leaned over and gave him a kiss on the lips. Phichit was taken back by it but he gave in within seconds. This was the kind of kiss he had wanted for a while. There was a tight pull between them that drew them even closer. “Hungry Eyes” continued to play behind them as they kept kissing. It wasn’t until Chris broke away that Phichit finally got to ask him about it. 

“Why?” He wondered out loud. "What was that for?"

“I just wanted to see what it was like to kiss you without food in your mouth.” Chris joked. “I have to say that it’s nice.”

“Nice.” Phichit repeated, looking over at where Yuuri was sleeping in the cab. “I...I really need to go now. I have to get Yuuri in bed.”

“Yeah, you should.” Chris nodded, trying to get Victor away. “Well...good night.”

“Good night.” Phichit got in the cab where Yuuri was still snoring away. After telling the driver where he wanted to go, he thought about what had happened. He had felt a strong pull between him and Chris during that kiss. This was a kiss that felt real but what did that mean? Did Chris want a relationship? Was it over between them? What did they do next?

 _I’m so confused._ He thought as Yuuri leaned against him and kept sleeping. He couldn’t help but think there was something Chris was hiding. In fact, the entire skating group seemed to know something that no one else did. He was digging in the wrong place. He needed to look up more about these famous skaters and see what they knew.

And something told him that it all had to do with Eros and V.

~ ~ ~

_Eros was drowning. He was drowning deep into this ice water and no one would be able to find him. No one would know where to look because he had gone too far. He wanted to swim but every muscle inside of him was cold and stiff. He couldn’t move anymore because his body was freezing up._

_Snowflake Through the Looking Glass was slipping away from him but he needed it. He didn’t evade police this long only to drown in ice water. What kind of thief was he? How could he die like this? He had to swim to the surface but he was tired and cold. His legs had frozen up. His entire body was turning to ice. He was not going to survive this._

_“Keep it...Keep my treasure safe…”_

_He was telling someone who was looking down at him. So many people were there so he managed to grab the diamond and throw it to them. He wanted them to keep that treasure hidden. They needed to hide it in the one place no one could find.  
“Hide it…”_

_“We will.” Someone spoke up. “We will keep it with Yuuri. As long as he is breathing, it won't fall into the wrong hands.”_

_Yuuri. Yuuri was the little baby that was crying from the cold. If anyone could keep it safe, it was a baby. A baby would be the last place anyone would look for a diamond. No one would want to hurt a baby._

_“Make sure no one gets it.”_

_"Don't worry. No one will."_

_Then Yuuri cried as a bright light came in and Eros sunk further down. His life might have been over but his treasure was safe. As long as Yuuri was alive, the greatest treasure in the world would stay hidden._

~ ~ ~

Yuuri gasped when he woke up in a cold sweat. Now he had seen more of this dream, he knew it was a reality. It was something that had happened in the past and he had a connection with Eros. It was no longer a dream but a part of his past. It was something he didn’t know about until now.

“Yuuri! Yuuri, are you okay? I heard you screaming!” Phichit ran into his room to find Yuuri sweating and fumbling around for his glasses. “Oh, Yuuri! What happened? Are you hurt? Do you need anything?”

Yuuri found his glasses, put them on, and said the one sentence Phichit never expected to hear.

“I know where Snowflake Through the Looking Glass is hidden.”

“Really?” Phichit was curious. “Where?”

Yuuri swallowed. “It’s inside of me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Scream at me in comments or comment/follow me on tumblr: http://fallsintograce.tumblr.com 
> 
> 1) I have too many 80s songs on my playlist and "Hungry Eyes" was all I could listen to while thinking of Phichimetti scenes. And now I want to write a Phichimetti Dirty Dancing AU. 
> 
> 2) Minami is the Lord of McNuggets and you will recognize XD
> 
> 3) Next part, we will get more of the Europeans side of things. I know I haven't focused much on them yet but for good reasons! The whole truth will be revealed soon enough! Basically, this story is divided in three parts. Part one just completed and we're about to get into the second third of it. That second half will deal more with our favorite Europeans and how they came to this and what they're really up to.
> 
> 4) I know what you're thinking. How can Eros die while Yuuri's a baby yet still save Victor when he's a teen? Rest assured, there is an answer to this and that will show up come second half of this story. You will see what really happened that night.


	10. Under The Spell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finding out what happened in the past...and maybe coming across some answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally got this one done! It's beginning of the next arc of this fic. (There's about three in this. We have to go to the past in order to get to the future). I promise this won't take too long and we're still going to move the story forward. I'm sorry it took me a while to get to this. I had some other things (bangs and zines and other events) to do first before I went to this.

For the next few days, Yuuri was struggling to find out information about Eros. A lot of people had claimed to see him. The Czech man who supposedly saw Eros die was nowhere to be found. Another Czech man by the name of Emil Nekola was now doing research about Eros’ disappearance from the world. Phichit was desperately trying to get a hold of Emil and see what he knew. So far, he had sent Emil a friend’s request on social media and was waiting to hear back. As for Yuuri himself, he tried to stay busy with work but his mind was wandering away. Victor wanted to go out with him but he had declined the next date. He needed some time alone. Victor was a little disappointed at the rejection but he accepted it. He told Yuuri that he hoped that he was able to find answers to his problems. 

The best thing they could do now was go to a hypnotist. That had been Phichit’s idea because he felt that the answers lay deep inside of Yuuri. Yuuri wasn’t so sure about this. He didn’t want many people to know about his connection with V, Eros, or Snowflake Through the Looking Glass. All he wanted was to get that treasure out of him. Before they went to do that part, they needed to know why this treasure was in him. The best way to figure this out was to go to a specialist. In particular, Phichit was taking Yuuri to a hypnotist who could probably go deep into his mind. 

“People have been talking about Eros for years now.” Phichit pointed out. “If he supposedly died like you said, then what’s with all the random sightings?”

“The only magazines talking about the random sightings are the ones that are talking about aliens and The Loch Ness Monster and the birth of a bird baby. None of those are true. It’s all made up.” 

“What about Victor and his experience? Do you think he’s crazy?” 

Yuuri had almost forgotten about Victor’s encounter with Eros. No, he didn’t believe he was crazy but Victor had been very young and beaten up when all that happened. Chances were likely that he was imagining all of this. It was probably some good Samaritan who he thought was Eros. 

“I don’t think this will work.” Yuuri said as they were waiting for the hypnotist. "Is this what I need? What if they can’t find out what’s wrong with me?” 

“It will! Ten people recommended this hypnotist when I told them about your issue!”

“You told ten people that I’m having issues?!” 

“Well, it’s more like I told my social media following about it.” Phichit blushed. “Ten people from that group gave me this recommendation.”

“You told everyone on social media?!” Yuuri wanted to sink through the floor. Leave it to Phichit to get other people involved in this. “I really hope this works.”

“I’m sure it will. We’ll figure out something.” Phichit promised. "I'm not sure how we can get that gem out of you but there has to be a way. The first step is to figure out what happened and your connection with all of this."

They were finally called in and Yuuri was led to lie down on a couch. He was feeling sick inside as he thought about something deep in his body. His family had some answers but no one was telling him the truth. They had to be hiding this because they wanted to keep him safe. The more he thought about it, the angrier he got with them. Why couldn’t he know the truth about his past? What was going on?

When the hypnotist arrived, she was sure to make everyone feel comfortable. She let Yuuri know what she was going to do and how long it was supposed to take. If at any time he felt uncomfortable, she would stop. While he was still hesitant, he agreed to it with the condition that Phichit be in the room with him. He wanted someone he trusted to watch over him and make sure things went well. Phichit agreed to stop anything that seemed like it was going out of control. Once Yuuri was comfortable, he took a deep breath and listened to what was being said.

“Just relax, Yuuri.” The hypnotist told him. “Just pay attention to nothing but what is in front of you. Listen to my voice. Let go of all your anxiety and worries. Right now, we are going to focus on you. I want you to close your eyes and forget about everything for a little while. Focus on your breathing. You will feel tired and that is fine. Keep your eyes closed and go back into your mind.”

Within minutes, Yuuri was out but he could hear everything. Phichit watched him carefully and listened to what the hypnotist was saying. So far, everything was going well. Yuuri was still breathing and looked very peaceful. 

“Now I want you to go back to the first time you heard about Eros.” The hypnotist went on. “Think back to your earliest memory of Eros. Where were you when you heard about him?”

There was a brief pause and then Yuuri began talking. “Back in Hasetsu. I was watching the Junior World Figure Skating Championships with my friends. I was watching Victor Nikiforov and we were talking about him…”

~ ~ ~

_Thirteen years ago, Hasetsu…_

Yuuri couldn’t help staring at how beautiful Victor Nikiforov was on that TV screen. He wanted to run his fingers through that long silver hair and skate on the same ice with him. Yuuko was also watching this routine and growing more excited with each jump that Victor landed.

“Isn’t he so cool?!” She exclaimed, jumping up and down. “Everyone says he’s the one to beat at the next Olympics!”

“Meh, who cares?!” Takeshi stuck out his tongue. “It’s just some new pretty boy skater that you’re falling in love with. You’ll forget about him in a year!”

“No, I won’t! Victor is going to be on top for years to come! You’re just jealous!”

“Jealous of what? There’s nothing special about him.” Takeshi held up a magazine and pointed to something. “Now Eros is a whole other story! He stole a really expensive diamond from Prague last night!”

Yuuko rolled her eyes at that. “Are you reading those dumb magazines again? Everyone knows Eros is gone! Those are the same magazines that talk about UFOs and bat creatures! Why do you believe in them?”

“You really think Eros is gone? They spotted him last week!” Takeshi pointed to the cover. “See? He stole something!”

“His picture between the picture of aliens and an article about Bigfoot having a baby.” Yuuko sighed. “Even if he was alive, I don’t think Eros is someone to look up to. He’s a thief! He caused a lot more problems out there! Frankly, I’m glad he’s gone!”

Yuuri was half-listening to their argument but his eyes were on Victor. There was about Victor that was drawing him close. They had never met but he felt like he was connected to him. His chest was hurting inside but he couldn’t stop staring at Victor. He admired the way Victor moved across the ice and how polite he was talking to interviewers. His smile was beautiful and he managed to avoid answering the tough questions with ease. 

I wish I could be like Victor. He’s so cool. Yuuri thought, wondering if he could ever pull off the moves that Victor did. One day, when he got good enough, he vowed that he would be able to compete with Victor. It would take some time but he could do it.

“What do you think, Yuuri?” Takeshi interrupted his thoughts.

“Huh?” Yuuri snapped out of his Victor reverie and turned around. “Think about what?”

“Eros! Come on, Yuuri! I need one of you on my side! Yuuko keeps saying that Eros isn’t worth remembering and he isn’t cool!”

“Well, he did steal things.” Yuuri pointed out. “I’m sorry but I agree with Yuuko. Eros isn’t someone to admire.”

“You wouldn’t think that if you_”

Takeshi never got to finish his sentence because Yuuko hit his back hard. “Takeshi, stop that! Eros isn’t someone to look up to!”

“Yeah, I don’t think I’d want to know him.” Yuuri shook his head, going back to the TV. Victor was gone now and they were interviewing someone else. “Victor would never do anything like that.”

“Bleh, I still say Victor’s nothing great.” Takeshi muttered. “He’ll be replaced in a year by a better skater. That’s how it always goes. Victor won’t ever be anything like Eros. I’m telling you right now.”

“Well, that’s good!” Yuuko exclaimed. “I hope he’s never anything like Eros! He’s too good to be a thief!”

“Yeah…” Yuuri murmured, thinking about Victor. Victor was too pure and innocent to commit a crime. He would never be foolish enough to follow the same path as Eros. He knew better than to do that. He wouldn’t admire Eros the way Takeshi did. Eros wasn’t worth paying attention to. He wasn’t worth admiring. 

Victor would never want to be anything like Eros.

~ ~ ~

_Russia, thirteen years ago…_

Victor had a little break in between competitions but he didn’t feel like resting back at home. He was excited and energized. He had gotten news that someone had broken into a museum in Prague and stolen a very expensive diamond. Despite all the tight security, they got in and out without anyone finding them. Everyone was baffled by the crime but it all pointed to one person; Eros. 

For the past few years, Victor was inspired by Eros. He heard all about that famous phantom thief and how he had stolen Snowflake Through the Looking Glass. Because of all of this, Victor collected everything about Eros. He had articles about Eros’ greatest heists and all the theories about who Eros could be. Some thought he was an alien. Others suspected he had come from the future or that he might be a ghost. Whoever he was, Victor wanted to know everything about him. He felt a strange connection to him.

That was exactly why he was outside of Yakov’s house and planning to get in through the window. He had no intention to steal anything from his coach. He just wanted to be able to get into the house with ease like Eros. There was a tree very close by to the bedroom window and it would be easy to climb. The only things that could cause problems were the branches. They didn’t look like they would be able to support him.

But Eros can climb up anything. Victor told himself, putting his foot on the lowest branch. It almost gave away but he was determined to stay on. Eros never panics over anything! I can’t be afraid either.

Slowly, he began to climb up that tree and thought about how he’d open the bedroom window. Eros was good at this. It was like he could slip in without breaking a thing. That was the main reason many people thought he wasn’t human. No human could move as quickly and smoothly as he did. Still, Victor believed he was real and he was incredible. He was someone to be admired even if the rest of the world didn’t think so.

The climb up the tree was going well until he got to the fourth branch. That was the moment when he slipped and fell down to the ground. It wasn’t a long fall but it was still a painful one. He landed on his rear end and let out a cry that was loud enough for Yakov to hear from inside of the house. Then everyone else came running out to see if Victor was okay.

When Yakov saw that his prized pupil was fine, he began to scream at him. He was angry that Victor tried to get into that bedroom window and over the Eros obsession. He had seen all the articles and garbage about Eros that was collected. 

“Stupid! Idiotic! Of all the things!” Yakov was yelling as Victor looked through the latest magazine about Eros. “I do not understand this obsession with some petty thief!”

“He’s not a petty thief! He’s only the greatest thief of all time!” Victor shot back.

“That doesn’t mean you have to be like him! You know that tree isn’t safe to climb! I have warned you from trying to climb it! You deliberately disobeyed me!”

“I’m very disappointed in you.” Lilia added, lowering her gaze. Her look was enough for Victor to pay attention. He could tune Yakov out with ease but not his wife. Lilia knew what to say and do to get any unruly person to stay in line. “You could have broken your foot or much worse! This nonsense has to end!”

“I won’t climb the tree again. Still, you can’t deny that Eros was amazing.” Victor pointed to the picture of the diamond that had been stolen. “He took this while a million people were watching! He was so fast that they didn’t know it was gone until it was too late!”

Lilia frowned when she saw that picture. “Eros is no one that you should aspire to be like! How would your mother and father feel if they heard about this?! Do you want me to tell them?!”

That was it. The moment anyone brought up telling his parents about his antics was when Victor cleaned up his act. He didn’t want them to know about the wrong things he was doing. That meant he would have to hear from them and they would both give him lectures. He didn’t want to get that phone call from them where they would scold him.

“No.” He finally replied. “Please don’t tell them about this.”

“Do not climb any more trees.” Lilia warned him. “There are more important things in life than admiring criminals. Do not forget what you are here for. Now as for your punishment, I will expect you to stay after hours and practice what we did last time.”

"But..."

"I don't want to hear it! No more foolishness form you! People are expecting a lot or have you forgotten?" 

There was no way Victor could ever forget that. Everyone in the world had him pegged as the next big skating sensation. There were people guessing how many gold medals he was going to win in his lifetime. So many girls and boys had a crush on him. The teen magazines were dying to get photos and interviews with him. It was all fine and dandy but none of that truly excited him. The only time he was excited was when he read up about Eros. To this day, no one knew what happened to him but he had to be alive. No one else could pull off these recent heists but Eros. 

Once Yakov and Lilia were gone, he went back to reading about the latest ‘Eros heist’. Eros was a mystery even to this day. Sometimes, people wondered if he even existed at all. Whatever he was, Victor was inspired by him. He skimmed through the article to find some clue about Eros. Very few people could describe what Eros looked like but they were all in agreement on one thing; he was beautiful. His description changed with each person they interviewed but he was a breathtaking beauty. It made everyone wonder how he hadn’t been caught yet. He didn’t wear masks all the time but he always had the most beautiful costumes. It was strange that someone who didn’t want to be caught would wear outfits that would draw attention. 

Still, that was a part of Eros’ charm. He wanted the attention. He wanted people to know what he was up to. He never failed to show up on time and he always evaded the police. He truly was a phantom and he garnered his share of fans and enemies with each heist. There were too many people who were trying to be like him. A couple tried to claim they were him. Victor wasn’t the only one trying to act like Eros but no one proved to be the real thing.

He looked through the article and thought about how he would like to find out the truth. He knew that he had a connection with him. As crazy as it was, maybe Eros was his soulmate. Everyone had a soulmate out there. The only one he felt close enough to right now was Eros. He wanted to see him one day. Real or not, he needed to know he existed.

He needed to get to Eros at any and all costs.

~ ~ ~ 

_Present day…_

Yuuri still felt like he was in a daze after coming back from the hypnotist. He couldn’t think any further back in time while he was on that couch. He remembered that day very well because it was the moment he first saw Victor. However, he had tuned out the entire conversation about Eros and that was what he needed to stay focused on. The only way he could find out something was by asking Yuuko and Takeshi. He knew what he had to do. One of them would be honest with them. They usually were.

There was something that the hypnotist had noticed Yuuri mentioned. Takeshi had started to say something regarding Eros but Yuuko had stopped him. Yuuri never thought much about it back then but now he was curious as to what his friends knew. 

_You wouldn’t think that if you__

What wouldn't he have thought? He needed to know what Takeshi was going to say. What did his friends know and why were they hiding this from him? He knew he had to talk with one of them and find out all that they knew. In the meantime, Phichit was checking his phone and discovered something!

“Finally! We might get some answers!” He exclaimed. “Emil accepted my friend’s request and just in time! There’s a new notice from the Heart-Mouthed Bandit.”

“Who?”

“Oh, that’s a new nickname some people are giving V now. It’s because of the little smiley at the end of his notices. They think the little smile reminds them of a heart so now he's the Heart-Mouthed Bandit to them.” He pointed it out. “Here, check it out! His next heist is tomorrow!”

_I plan to steal the Frozen Blossom tomorrow at 11 PM! I can’t wait to see you, Eros! ´♡ ` -V_

The Frozen Blossom was the name of a beautiful diamond broach that was on display at the history museum. Legend said it belonged to a wealthy woman who died of scarlet fever and her spirit haunted the museum. No one really knew why a ghost would be haunting the museum but they went with the story anyway. It was a fun tale to tell the visitors but now people were going to be excited for tomorrow night. No doubt they would have to cover this story and Yuuri would have to go after V again. He just hoped that he would not be drugged now so he could get some answers. This time, he would be more careful. He would make that thief talk and explain himself.

“He really believes that Eros is alive out there, huh?” Yuuri murmured. “For some reason, he thinks it’s me but I can’t figure out why.”

“Well, maybe Emil has some answers.” Phichit decided. “And I think you might be interested in what he knows. He’s been following V’s heists for some time and he knows a lot about Eros. Let me ask him if there’s a time he can talk to us.”

As he did that, Yuuri checked his phone and saw that Victor had sent him a message as well. He wanted to know if Yuuri was free tonight for dinner because he needed to talk to him. From the sounds of it, it was very urgent so Yuuri agreed to meet up at the same restaurant where they had katsudon. There were many things he wanted to talk about. He also wanted to get away from all the talk about Eros and V for a little while. If anyone could help him forget about that, it was Victor. Victor could make him feel better. 

“Oh!” Phichit interrupted his thoughts. “Well, this is interesting! I’m surprised he hasn’t told anyone about this yet!”

“What is it? Does he know who Eros is?” Yuuri asked.

“Even better.” Phichit put his phone away. “He knows V is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun dun! 
> 
> Next chapter, we meet Emil (cause he needs more love) and more past stuff plus more date. It's karaoke night on their next date so guess what will happen?! XD And possibly an answer to all this. *shifty eyes*


	11. Past and Present

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More past events and some present stuff...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I lied a little bit. Emil will actually make his appearance next chapter, not this one. We are still in the early stages of the second-third of this story. We have more past stuff and some present. Some people are getting close to the truth but will they find out? (Lol, hint; not in this chapter) 
> 
> I had to get through my BBOI first but now I have to try and update some of these WIPs. Starting with this one. 
> 
> And look, it's as long as a novel now! (We have about ten chapters to go, give or take a few, for this fic fyi)

_Russia, thirteen years ago…_

Yakov was starting to contemplate retirement. He might have coached champions but that didn’t mean they didn’t give him some pain now and then. Two minutes into the morning and he already wanted to give up. He had two teenagers moaning their fates instead of practicing their routines on the ice. In one corner, there was Victor who didn’t think anyone understood him. He was still obsessed with Eros and wanted to reach that level of fame. For some reason, he wanted to be like Eros.

“For the hundredth time, Vitya, Eros is not someone to admire!” Yakov would snap at him. “I would understand if you were influenced by an artist or a musician or anyone else! But Eros was not someone to be admired! Why would you ever want to be inspired by him?”

“You don’t understand…” Victor would murmur as he kept reading the articles about Eros’ heists. “He’s untouchable, amazing...I wonder if he’s my soulmate.”

“No!” Yakov crossed his arms. “I want you to get rid of all of this immediately! No more obsession over this Eros! I will not have you create programs based off some criminal!” 

Yakov didn’t dare say anything about that because now he had to deal with the other mopey teen. There was Georgi sobbing over the fact that a girl had rejected him. This was something he expected. Teenagers went through breakups and heartache all the time. He wouldn’t be upset about this because everyone cried over something like that. Not Georgi. He didn’t cry. He exploded into a flood of tears and snot. 

“You mean to tell me you can’t get on the ice because she said no?!” Yakov could feel the vein in his forehead throbbing. “This happens all the time!”

“But it shouldn’t happen to me!” Georgi wailed. “What have I done wrong?! I used the love potion the correct way!”

Yakov gave up trying to get through to him and went back to Victor. Georgi would be hard to talk to but Victor would not. He could try to understand this silly obsession over a thief. “Vitya, listen to me. I understand Eros was impressive. I can see why you might admire him. At the same time, I need you to stop wanting to be like him. Don’t think I didn’t see you trying to get into our bedroom through the window last week!”

“Me?” Victor pretended to look innocent when he widened those blue eyes. “I would never do such a thing!”

Yakov didn’t fall for it. “All I am saying is that you need to stop. I don’t mind you reading about his heists. Just don’t turn into Eros. I do not want to see you throw your life away because of some thief.”

Victor heard all those words and he knew that Yakov meant well. “I won’t do anything like that. I promise.”

“Good. Now get on the ice and get Georgi out there with you!”

He managed to get Georgi to stop crying long enough and pull him onto the ice. However, he had a completely different idea on his mind. He took Georgi to the side to ask about the love potion that had failed. “Do you think that love potion can lure someone else over?”

Georgi was confused. “What do you mean?”

“I, um...do you think it could draw Eros out of hiding?”

“I...that is very...I don’t know!” Georgi was flustered. “I tried to make Anya fall in love but it didn’t work! She just said I smelled funny!”

“No, you’re not understanding! Maybe the love potion can be used as something else.” Victor thought out loud, coming up a plan. “I bet Eros is still alive out there! We just have to find him!”

“Why?” 

“I…” Victor had no idea what kind of explanation he wanted to give. “I just want to.”

“You want to.” Georgi repeated, having a hard time accepting this. He knew about the Eros obsession even though he didn’t understand it either. “You want to find him for no good reason.”

“I wouldn’t say that. I think he might be my soulmate.” 

“You think Eros is your soulmate? How?” Georgi was sure that Victor was on something now. “I can’t believe you!”

“Well, if it’s true or not, I need to know. I think we’re connected somehow. I need your help and_”

“YOU TWO! Enough loafing around!” Yakov yelled at them. “I have been waiting for you to start for the past two minutes! What are you doing?!”

Victor just laughed, giving Yakov that adorable cupid-bow smile. “Sorry, Yakov! I was just thinking about Eros_”

“Again?! After what I told you, you didn’t listen?!” Yakov was ready to explode. “What’s next?!”

One of the new skaters to their rink came in at that moment and yelled, “I’ve memorized the atomic weight of every element up to Tungsten!”

Suddenly, early retirement sounded like a very good idea to Yakov. 

~ ~ ~ 

_Present Day…_

Yuuri was still struggling with solving the mystery behind V. This Emil Nekola claimed to know who V was. He was absolutely positive of it yet when Phichit asked, Emil said nothing. He hadn’t revealed anything to them yet because he wanted to tell them in person. He vowed that he would see them on Monday and he would have all the proof they would need. For Yuuri, this was a good thing yet he couldn’t believe it. How did a random person know who V was when no one else did?

I feel like I should know. There is something familiar about him but I can’t figure it out. Yuuri stared at the computer, wanting to type something out. This was one of those rare weekends where he was working in the office. He needed to interview Victor yet didn’t have any questions written out, let alone an article. He had pushed that little assignment to the back of his mind. He had been so obsessed to figure out his past that he almost forgot about what he needed to do. Fortunately, their date tonight would help a little bit. If they were lucky, he could get some answers to a few questions. He had nothing about his own past but maybe he could get something from Victor.

Using the hypnotist’s advice, he left some messages to Yuuko and was able to talk to her during the night. Unfortunately, she didn’t have a lot that she could tell him.

“I was too young back then.” She told him. “I wouldn’t know much about Eros and his heists except for what I’ve been told.” 

“Are you sure about that?” He asked, unsure if he could believe her. “You mean to tell me you’ve never heard about Snowflake Through The Looking Glass?” 

“I’ve heard about it, yes. Everyone has. People have been looking for it. How are you so sure that it’s inside of you? How can a diamond get inside a person?”

“That’s what I want to know! Please, Yuuko, if you know anything...you have to tell me! Please don’t keep secrets from me! Is my life in danger? I need to know everything that you know!”

There was a long pause at the other end before Yuuko spoke up. “Everything you know is what I know. I knew you had that diamond inside of you but I don’t know why. I don’t know why it was put there. Yes, Eros did exist a long time ago. Chances are high that he did die and those sightings are just people imagining things. I will try to figure out a way to get that jewel out of you but I don’t know if it’s possible. We’ll see, okay? I will help you figure out who this V is too.”

That was a little assuring but Yuuri still had a feeling she was hiding something from him. She wasn’t telling him the one thing he wanted to hear. Then again, she did have a point in the fact that she was too young to remember anything about Eros. He needed to talk to someone older. He needed some time to talk to his parents and get them to spill the truth. 

Before he had a chance, his phone went off. He picked it up in hopes that it was Victor but it was just Minami saying there were donuts in the breakroom. Minami was doing much better now. He knew all about the whole ‘naked in the fountain’ incident and took it with stride. In fact, he was happy with his new nickname: Lord of the McNuggets. He also vowed that he would be the one to unmask V and kick his rear end into jail.

“If I see him again, I hope he starts running the other way!” Minami exclaimed to anyone that would listen. “His days are numbered!”

Everyone else was just eager to see V’s next heist. Even Yuuri wanted to run into him just so he could get some answers. This time, he wouldn’t be wowed by any of his charms. He would stay awake and get him to spill the truth. If he was lucky, he would unmask V. He was going to find out who this soulmate of his was. He needed to know the motive behind all of these crimes. 

His phone went off again and this time it was Victor asking if they were still on for tonight. That was the little bit that made him relax. Somehow, he felt good when he and Victor were together. Tonight would be even more special because it was karaoke night at the restaurant. Yuuri had done his share of drunk karaoke in the past (Phichit had plenty of proof) but he would behave tonight. If he did sing, he would do it sober. 

Victor sent another text asking if it was okay if some of his friends and rinkmates came along. They would have a separate table but he was just going to arrive with more people. He told everyone about the katsudo and now they wanted to try it. Yuuri was fine by that since it would make him feel more comfortable. He still had a hard time believing that he, of all people, was getting a chance to interview Victor Nikiforov. Not only that, he had gone on dates with him. His heart was palpitating at out how excited he was about this. On the outside, he looked calm and quiet. Inside, he was bouncy, nervous wreck. 

Phichit came back with some donuts and sat down next to him. “Well, I have another date with Chris tonight but that’s not the big news. Emil dropped me some important information.”

“He told you who V was?”

“Not quite. He is about 95% sure on V’s identity but he wants to be absolutely certain before he reveals anything.”

“So he technically doesn’t know.” Yuuri sighed. “I should have figured as much. I saw a lot of other people on social media claiming they know who he is. I think they just want attention.”

“That might be true with others but I don’t think Emil falls in that group. He does know that V isn’t much older than you. He also knows that V is European though he isn’t sure from where yet. He also thinks V is taken certain things for two reaons; they all have to do with ice or something winter related and they all used to belong to someone else years ago. In fact, all of V’s stolen items were actually sent back to original owners or to their families. There were no addresses on the boxes so no one has a clue where they came from.”

“They didn’t find any DNA on the boxes?”

“Nope. Whoever mailed them did a good job of clearing their tracks. Emil also suspects that V isn’t working alone. He’s got accomplices who are helping him get through all the security systems and guards. They’re the ones who guide him but no one knows who they could be. Another thing that I noticed was that V tends to do a lot of the things Eros did back in the day. Knowing people out with potions? That’s pure Eros right there. The way he sneaks in and out is similar to how Eros did it. Of course, Eros did everything alone while V has help from behind the scenes.”

Yuuri thought about his few encounters with V. Somehow, he felt like they had known each other from somewhere else. There was something about those eyes underneath that mask. He wasn’t a cold-hearted criminal like some people on the news were making him out to be. He had warmth inside of him. For that reason, he had to ask him some questions. No more fainting from potions. No more passing out. On V’s next heist, he would stand firm and take him down if he had to.

 _Wait, what am I thinking?! I can’t take him down!_ Yuuri shook the thought out of his mind. He was not going to tackle V. For one, V was bigger than he was and probably stronger too. He would be able to overpower him in no time. The other reason he couldn’t do it was because he didn’t want to hurt his soulmate. As much as he didn’t like it, V was his soulmate. He felt that pull around him. 

_Maybe he’s not my soulmate. Maybe the pull is coming from somewhere else._ He thought. He knew of soulmates who had felt pulls from a distance. Their soulmate was walking a few feet away yet they felt it. That was also a possibility. Maybe V wasn’t his soulmate but it was someone else nearby. However, it was hard to test that theory since most people usually weren’t around when V was pulling off his heists. The police closed off the area so no one could enter. That didn’t mean, of course, that no one could be around. 

He tried to find some photos of V just to get a better look at him. Unfortunately, most people couldn’t get one of V’s face. Most of the photos were very blurry and unfocused. The one thing he could tell about V was that he had to be handsome under the masks. He wore many of them, a different one for a different heist. His costumes were glamorous and probably expensive. In a way, they reminded him of the costumes that Victor wore during competitions. V wanted the attention of the police. That would explain all those flashy clothes. He wanted people to see him and make sure they kept his eye on him. This was his way of mocking them. He was getting away with his crimes and he loved it. 

_Just who are you?_ Yuuri wanted to know. _Why do I feel like I know you? Your eyes are so familiar but I can’t figure out why._

“Yuuri, I got you some coffee!” Minami’s voice rang out, breaking Yuuri from his thoughts. He put the cup down and looked over Yuuri’s shoulder at one of V’s heists. Someone had been lucky enough to get a slightly blurry picture V on the roof. “Oh, it’s V! Doesn’t he look a lot like Victor Nikiforov?”

“Huh?” Yuuri looked closer at the picture. “What do you mean?” 

“I saw his eyes before...well, before he knocked me out.” Minami shrugged. “They look a lot like Victor’s eyes.”

“He has blue eyes. V has blue eyes. That doesn’t mean they are the same person. A lot of people have blue eyes.”

“That’s true but I bet if you dressed Victor up in V’s clothes, they would look identical.”

Yuuri wanted to argue about that but he wondered if there was some truth to what Minami said. Parts of V did remind him of Victor. Those eyes had warmth just like Victor’s did. Still, it couldn’t be true. Victor was a champion. He was not dumb enough to jeopardize his career and life by turning to crime. 

“I think he might be a lookalike but that’s it.” Yuuri decided. “Victor would never do such a thing.”

Still, deep down, he wondered if he believed what he had said. 

~ ~ ~

The stress was gone when Yuuri saw Victor later that evening. As promised, he had come in with many other people that he recognized; they were all famous ice skaters. He got a glare from Yuri Plisetsky and a stoic look from Otabek Altin but everyone else smiled at him. They were happy to meet him and spend some time.

“I heard so much about you!” Mila exclaimed. “I liked your story where you interviewed that woman in jail. It moved me.”

“Thank you. I didn’t think anyone was reading that!”

“Are you kidding me? I felt so bad for that poor woman! She has to pay because of her horrible husband! I really hope she gets out of prison soon!” 

Yuuri nodded, remembering that series of articles he had written. He and Phichit had both been assigned to interview many people in jail and some of the stories were very moving. He didn’t even know if he could write about them and make anyone feel for these prisoners. It turned out that a lot of people were impressed by the articles. Even his boss was moved by them and told Yuuri had a future in this career. 

“I just tried to tell their stories the best way that I could.” He replied.

“Ah, he’s so humble!” Victor laughed, putting his arm around Yuuri. There was a funny feeling at that moment but both of them ignored it. They figured the smell and ambience of the restaurant was causing all this. “My Yuuri doesn’t want to admit he’s talented.”

“My Yuuri? When did I become your Yuuri?” 

“Right now.” Victor poked his cheek and the feeling inside both got to them. To ignore that, they found their seats and looked through the menus. “Yuuri’s the one who introduced me to katsudon.”

“Katsudon, huh?” Yuri eyed the menu. “Makes sense. Piggy likes eating pigs.”

Mila kicked him under the table. “Be nice, Yura!” 

“Feh, whatever.”

Otabek nudged his friend. “Be polite. We don’t want to_”

“I know!” Yuri grumbled. “Don’t tell him anything!”

“Tell me what?” Yuuri asked.

“Nothing, my Yuuri! It’s nothing you need to worry about!” Victor patted him on the back, trying to change the subject. The last thing he wanted was for Yuuri to know what was going on. He looked over at where some guy was singing “Personal Jesus” by Depeche Mode for karaoke night and had an idea. “Let’s sing!”

“What?!”

“Uh, no!” Yuri added. “I’m not singing anything!” 

“Yes, yes, let’s sing!” Mila saw Sara entering and waved to her. “Sara, come here! We’re all going to sing!”

“We are?” Yuuri suddenly felt overwhelmed. There was a pull coming from somewhere so he knew V was close by. Someone in this restaurant was V but he couldn’t figure out who. “No, I don’t sing! I can’t sing!”

“It will be fine! We’ll start first!” Mila grabbed Sara’s hand and whispered something in her ear. The two girls giggled and went over to where the karaoke machine was. The first man had finished singing and now it was their turn. The first couple of notes of “Total Eclipse of the Heart” began to play, much to Yuri’s dismay.

“That’s song?! That’s the song everyone sings!” He groaned. 

No one else seemed to be annoyed by this. If anything, they enjoyed watching Mila and Sara getting cute with each other while belting out that old song. Even as their food came, they were more focused on people singing. Once Mila and Sara were done, Phichit and Chris went up to sing “Rio” from Duran Duran. Everyone seemed to be having fun and they weren’t even drunk.

“Are you sure you don’t want to sing?” Victor asked. “It looks like fun.”

Yuuri’s headache was coming back but he did his best to forget about it. Tonight, he was not going to touch any alcohol. He was feeling very hot yet he wasn’t sick. He needed to get rid of this headache. He knew V was close by but where? Where was that pull actually coming from? How could he distract himself?

Then he had an idea. “I Got You, Babe.”

“Hmm?”

“Let’s sing.” He went on. “Do you know “I Got You, Babe”? Let’s sing that.”

“Ah...okay! We can sing that!” Victor gave him that adorable smile and he nearly melted. It reminded him of a heart. 

Heart-shaped smile. V left heart-shaped smiles on his notes. People on social media were calling him The Heart-Mouth Bandit as well as other things related to that. 

_No, no, I’m not feeling well._ Yuuri pushed that thought aside. _I’m thinking weird things. Let’s just sing._

“Come on!” He took Victor’s hand and pulled him up on the stage. As soon as the music started, they began to sing. At first, they struggled to keep up but soon got into it. Yuuri was smiling as Victor put his arm around him. The pull was stronger now. V was close by. V was somewhere around here. 

I wish Victor was my soulmate instead. Yuuri thought as they kept singing. He was now looking into Victor’s eyes and feeling that warmth behind them. There was no way Victor could be V. Maybe they both had blue eyes but that was probably where the similarities ended. V had to be someone else. He was now inches away from Victor’s face and he could kiss him right now. One step closer and their lips would be locked. 

“Oi, idiots! Get off the stage! You finished five minutes ago!” Yuri yelled at them. “I want to sing “Eye Of the Tiger!” so move!” 

Yuuri snapped out of his reverie and pulled away. “Sorry, I…”

“Ah, don’t worry about him!” Victor pulled Yuuri closer and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. The pull tightened and Yuuri almost passed out. “Are you all right?”

“I...I think so.” Yuuri murmured. He had to sit down. “Let’s get off the stage. My head hurts.”

“Oh no! Is there anything I can do?”

“No, I just...I just want to sit down. My head feels so light…” 

Victor took Yuuri back to his seat where the food had finally come. The smell of katsudon alone was enough to make him feel better even as the pull lingered. Any other time, he would have tried to figure out where it was coming from. Soulmate pulls usually meant that the soulmate was at least 30 feet away. V was around. He hadn’t noticed anything earlier because he had been taking a lot of medicine for headaches. 

His mind went to what Minami had said earlier. In fancier clothes, Victor could look like V. Deep down, he didn’t believe that they were one and the same. They couldn’t be. If Victor was V, he would be trying to steal Snowflake Through The Looking Glass out of Yuuri by now. He wouldn’t be as friendly to him. 

“Are you okay?” Phichit asked him when they sat down.

“I’m fine.” Yuuri nodded. “I’ll be okay.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” He took a deep breath. The pull was slowly going away but it was there. V was there. Chances were high that V was in this restaurant too. If he felt well enough, he would be looking around for him. 

Instead, he curled up next to Victor and closed his eyes. He was too happy to care about some thief. Soulmate or not, he didn’t want to chase V at this moment. He just wanted to be here. He wanted to be in Victor’s arms. 

It was just a shame that in a few hours, there would be another heist from V. Then he’d have to see his soulmate and finally get some of his answers. 

~ ~ ~

_Many years ago…_

Victor was lying in a hospital bed, unsure of what had happened. Everything was a blur in front of him. The sky was dark but that was all he recognized. He didn’t know how he had gotten out here or why he was outside. All he felt was pain and all he could still smell was burnt hair. He was nowhere near a fire but he knew how warm one felt. 

_My hair…_ It hit him at that moment. This happened a few days ago but it felt like only a few hours had passed. He remembered that he had been walking outside when someone called his name. The only reason he turned around was because he thought it was a fan who wanted a photo. He was so used to fans coming up to him and taking pictures that it didn’t occur to him that someone wanted to kill him. He didn’t understand it until one of those men approached him and punched him in the nose.

“But why…” He couldn’t finish his sentence because the rest of the men started pounding him. They hated him. They were hurting him because they hated him. 

He had been attacked for some reason. He had given them all the money he had but that wasn’t enough for them. They wanted to hurt him so they tried to take him out in another. They tried to destroy his beauty. Even though his hair had been cut short, the burnt smell was around. He had bruises and cuts all over his body though none of it was severe. The doctors had told him that he would be all right.

“You are very lucky.” They told him. “You should be out of here in no time. You’ll be back on the ice before you know it.” 

He wasn’t too worried about getting back on the ice. Those men might have given him bruises but they would heal. He was far more interested in his savior. Everything he had believed in had come true. Eros was real. Eros was alive. Most important of all, Eros knew who he was. 

His mind went back to when he had been attacked. He had performed yet another routine inspired by Eros, much to Yakov’s dismay. His coach had hoped that he would have gotten over this but he wasn’t. Victor was deeply obsessed with this thief. He saw Eros as someone he should be like. He was even starting to wear some Eros’ most well-known costume. One particular outfit that Eros had was like a bondage costume. There was mesh everywhere with strategically placed crystals on his body. He also had half a skirt that gave the impression that he was portraying male and female genders. It was no surprise because Eros had a lot of outfits like that. 

Wearing similar costumes was fine at first but now things were going too far. Yakov was tired of this. He needed to get through Victor’s head, no matter what. 

“He’s gone! He’s not worth your time!” Yakov sighed, finally giving up. “Why am I telling you anything? You never listen!”

“Ah, you will never understand.” Victor murmured. “He’s not a criminal. He’s a legend!”

“Legend?!” Yakov scoffed. “He is no legend! He commited crimes and now he is gone! I’m glad that we don’t have to deal with him anymore!”

“He’s gone! He’s still around!”

“Those magazines you read do not count as proof!” Yakov was getting tired now. Between Victor’s obsession, Georgi chasing after girls, and young Mila Babicheva wanting to skate to some horrible punk rock songs, he was exhausted with his skaters. He also had a young new skater named Yuri Plisetsky who was already a handful. Little Yuri had managed to bite someone on his very first day and threw tantrums when things didn’t go his way. 

“Still, no one ever found a body.” Victor pointed out. “Eros could be alive!” 

Yakov had no desire to fight now. “Go get changed. I’m done arguing.”

That had been how their conversation ended but what happened between then and now was still blurred. He had gotten from that moment to this one, falling in and out of conscious. He could hear those creeps laughing at him. They were enjoying every moment that they tormented him. Whatever their reasons were, they wanted him to suffer. It was Eros that had saved him. Eros got him to the hospital where they could help him out.

And I never really got to thank him. Victor sighed as he looked up at the TV. It felt so strange. He was getting better physically but he felt like he had changed. Reaching around back, he couldn’t feel anything there. His hair was all gone and cut short. This was going to take a lot of time getting used to. He would be able to skate but things would feel different now. He looked older now that he could see himself in the mirror. 

A lot of people knew about the attack and Victor’s parents were on their way to see him. When they heard what went down, they dropped everything and took the first plane they could. Yakov was also feeling very guilty about this. He had let Victor go while feeling frustrated with him. He knew he should have gone out with him or at least called to see how he was. 

“Will you ever forgive me?” He asked. “I was careless. I didn’t think_”

“Yakov, don’t worry! Things like this can happen!” Victor assured him. “I’m fine! That’s all you need to know. I will be okay and back on the ice before you know it.”

As for Eros, Victor had no idea where he could be but he was sure that his favorite person was alive. The TV was now on the news talking about a diamond that had been stolen from someone’s house. The poor people on TV looked devastated and were offering a reward for anyone who could find it and bring it back. It didn’t look like the work of Eros but someone who was very sloppy and did a horrible job. They had broken a lot of things in that house in the process of stealing that diamond. Eros would never have done that. 

Some skaters came to see him later in the day including Georgi, Mila, and Chris. They all felt bad about what happened and wished they had been there. Mila even offered to beat up the men who did this, an offer Victor almost accepted. If it hadn’t been for Yakov saying ‘no’, he probably would have taken it. Mila was a little girl but she was stronger than most people gave her credit for.

“I promise I’ll beat them up for you.” She was telling him. “If I find them, they’ll be sorry!”

Victor laughed. “That’s nice but I don’t want you to get in trouble either. It’s bad enough I was hurt.”

“Are you going to be able to skate later?” Chris asked.

“Yes. I’m glad they didn’t do anything to my legs. They threated to break them but never did.” Victor ran his fingers through his short hair. He had no use for those hair ties sitting on his nightstand anymore. “I just don’t know why they attacked me.”

“Everyone says it’s because they were jealous of you. Is that true?”

“Maybe. Anyway, I owe my life to Eros.”

“Eros again?” Georgi asked. “Are you sure you saw him?”

“I know I did! He is still alive out there and he saved my life!” Victor insisted. “I just want him to know that. How can I find him again?”

His eyes went back to the news as they continued to talk about the stolen diamond. The more he thought about the sloppy job, the more he wanted to find it. Not only that, he wanted to give it back to the family. He wanted to take it from that first thief and return it. It was something Eros did a lot of. Back in the day, Eros stole from the rich and gave back to the poor. He was a real life Robin Hood so he made his share of admirers and enemies. That was something to look up to.

The more he paid attention to this, the more an idea began to form in his head. Eros was swift and cunning but it would be easy to pull off his heists. He probably couldn’t do this on his own but with a little help, it would work out. They just needed to put together the perfect plan.

“I have an idea.” He finally said. “I’m going to get that diamond.”

“How?” Georgi asked. “Someone stole that diamond.”

“I know.” Victor smiled but it was not his usual cupid-bow shaped smile. This was a devious smile that no one had seen before. A terrible idea was forming in his mind but he thought it was brilliant. All he could think about was what Eros would have done in this situation. He could be just like Eros. He would certainly be better than whoever stole this diamond.

“How are you going to get that diamond then?” Chris asked.

“We’re going to do what Eros would have done.” Victor nodded. “We’re stealing it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 0_0!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> This chapter was brought to you by me listening to many old songs. Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! 
> 
> I should note that the next chapter may be delayed. I'm going to be out of town and I don't know how much computer/writing time I'll get. I will try to update while I'm away but no guarantees. I do promise the next chapter will probably be out early March. 
> 
> (Who else feels like whacking Yuuri for not seeing the obvious? XD )
> 
> Feel free to follow me on tumblr @ fallsintograce.


	12. Missing Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Possible solutions? And a part of time is still missing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do apologize for taking my time with updates. I was gone for a while and was struggling to get back into writing. Anyway, I'm glad I was able to get this bit out. This should prove to be interesting here. Forgive any bad errors. I'm still trying to get back into the swing of things here but I will fix them! Thanks to everyone still sticking through this. We're getting through this second half of the arc and the third half will soon start. (I've edited to add a little more)

_Many years ago..._

Victor successfully stole something two years after his run in with Eros. It wasn’t anything grand but it proved that he could do this. He had snuck into Yakov and Lilia’s bedroom and was able to open the safe where Lilia kept a lot of her jewelry. Getting into the bedroom was the easy part. He could walk in and make his way to the closet where the safe was. He knew the combination to it. They were foolish to use such a simple one. He was able to take out a diamond necklace before Yakov came in and found him.

The next hour was a lot of reprimanding and lecturing from his coach. Lilia was upset that he went after this necklace but his coach was far more infuriated. Yakov was there to remind that he was a skater, not a thief. There was nothing about Eros that was worth admiring. Victor had to be a role model to all the other skaters. They looked up to him. He could not be a thief because stealing was a crime. He could go to prison for it.

“I know Eros sounds very intriguing but he wasn’t.” Yakov finished off. “He isn’t someone you should strive to be like, Vitya. I have no problem with you reading about him. Just don’t be like him. What will others thing if you ended up like Eros?”

Yakov was making good points but that only made Victor more excited. He had seen Eros and he wanted to see him again. He wanted Eros’ attention and it wasn’t enough to look for him. No, he had to take it to the next level. There would come a time to pull this plan off. He knew who to recruit and what he needed to do. He knew he could pull it off now that he had done this. A little more practice and he would be unstoppable. 

When he was ready, he was going to strike. 

~ ~ ~

_Present Day..._

Yuuri’s head was spinning when he opened his eyes. He didn’t know what to expect at this moment but he didn’t think he’d be back in the hypnotist’s office. Mind still groggy, he sat up and found his glasses. Over in the corner, he could hear Phichit saying his name and the hypnotist trying to ask him questions. It was so much at once and he was still trying to get adjusted to the light. 

“How...How long was I sleeping?” Was the first thing he asked as he tried to remember the events of last night. They went to karaoke and sang together. He remembered singing with Victor and how great they sounded. He remembered the taste of katsudon and the laughter. What he couldn’t remember was how he got from there to here. “Where am I?! I thought I was supposed to chase V this time!”

“You did.” Phichit pointed out, trying to calm him down. “You went after him last night and tried to confront him. Don’t you remember?”

“No. I can't remember anything from last night after the date. I know I didn't drink but my mind feels hazy.” Yuuri rubbed his head. “Did he knock me out again?”

“I have no idea. I was having a hard time trying to keep up with you because you were going so fast. I didn’t even know you could run like that.” Phichit explained. “I was just talking about last night. After we left, we were on the hunt for V and you must have seen him before anyone else. Then you took off running and you told me you had to talk to him. Don’t you remember that?”

“I...I don’t.” Now Yuuri rubbed his eyes. The moment between karaoke in the restaurant to now was a complete blank. “Did I find V?”

“I don’t know. When I did see you, you were sleeping on a park bench but it’s not like he knocked you out. It was like you curled up on there and fell asleep on purpose. I had to take you home.”

“Your friend was telling me that you were falling in and out of consciousness last night.” The hypnotist added. “You were saying things that didn’t make sense. Don’t you remember anything about what happened?”

“I can’t. It’s like a blur to me. I remember being on a date but that’s it. I don’t know how the night ended.” Yuuri murmured. “How did I get here?”

“That would be me dragging you over here. You could barely walk.” Phichit said. “I knew I had to bring you here. Maybe we could figure out what happened to you.”

“I really don’t know. How long was I asleep? What time is it now?”

“It’s noon.” The hypnotist explained. “All right, Yuuri. It does seem like you don’t have any idea of what went down last night. So I hope you don’t mind if we try to figure that out today. Let’s take a look into your mind and try to find out where that missing time went.”

“Okay. I really don’t remember anything but having fun with Victor. It just doesn’t make sense. I don’t even remember running after V like Phichit was saying. I just feel like I fell asleep right after the date.” Yuuri lay down on the couch. “I don’t know what’s going on anymore.”

“Well, we’re going to find out now. Today, we are going to see if we can figure out where that missing time went. So I want you to close your eyes. I know you just woke up but this will help us get a better look inside of your mind. We’re going to try and see if we can piece everything together. Now think back to your last vivid memory. You said that it was on a date. Can you tell me about that?”

Yuuri took a deep breath. “I was on a date with Victor and a lot of other skaters had come. I recognized all of them. I remember that it was karaoke night and everyone was singing songs from the past. It was fun and I didn’t want to go after V when it was over.”

“Do you remember your latest encounter with V?”

There was a long pause as Yuuri tried to recall that moment. He didn’t see any reason not to trust Phichit. If his friend said he ran after V, then that was what he did. He just needed to know why. What would convince him to do that? While he wanted to confront V, he didn’t think he would have the guts to do so. More importantly, he would remember something like this yet his mind was a blank. He wasn’t seeing this scene at all. Instead, his mind was going back to the past again. 

“I...I’m walking home with my sister.” He began. “School’s over and she’s taking me back.”

Phichit turned to the hypnotist. “That doesn’t sound like something that happened last night. Mari is still in Japan and she hasn’t visited Yuuri in a long time.”

“No, it isn’t what happened last night but I do think we’re getting somewhere.” The hypnotist nodded. Then she turned to Yuuri. “All right, what are you and your sister talking about as you’re walking?”

“Skating.” Yuuri murmured. “I really want to go to the Olympics one day. I want to be as good as Victor Nikiforov. I want to skate on the ice with him. In fact, I’m convinced he might be my soulmate even though Mari is making fun of me.”

“And why is that?”

“She saw my Victor posters in my room. She thinks that if I like him so much, I should marry him.” He frowned at that. “I’m telling her to stop and then...the subject changes to Eros.”

Phichit raised his eyebrows. “I never knew about this.”

“Let’s continue then.” The hypnotist went on. “All right, Yuuri. Keep talking to me about this moment with your sister. Tell me why the subject changed to Eros.”

“It’s because...we got the newspaper. No, it was one of those weird newspapers that talks about things like aliens and ghosts. On the front page, someone claimed that Eros was back…”

~ ~~ 

_Fourteen years ago in Japan…_

“Yuuri, keep up with me! You’re falling behind!” Mari called from over her shoulder. Her brother had to stop because their poodle needed to go to the bathroom. Yuuri waited until Vicchan was done with his business and then ran up to her. “There you are!”

“Sorry! I had to wait till Vicchan finished.” Yuuri apologized. “I don’t want him to have another accident like last time.”

“Yes, I remember. Your poster got ruined and I had to get you a new one since Vicchan decided to use Victor’s face to do his business.” Mari sighed. She did remember how upset Yuuri got over that. He wasn’t angry at Vicchan but at himself for not taking the dog out sooner. When he gave back, he found his latest poster of Victor Nikiforov in shreds and covered with something he didn’t want. All the while, Vicchan looked innocent and adorable.

“Victor went on Victor. Somehow, that is funny to me.” Mari murmured.

“It was not funny! That was one of my favorite Victor posters!”

“They’re all your favorite posters. If you love Victor so much, you should marry him.”

“Maybe I will!” Yuuri exclaimed. “One day, I’m going to find Victor and I’m going to marry him! You’ll see!” 

Mari rolled her eyes and looked at the magazines and newspaper being sold at a nearby stand. She saw something which made her blink a few times. It was one of those silly magazines selling stories about the Loch Ness Monster and Bigfoot spottings. However, the front page had something she didn’t expect to see. It was a blurry image but one she remembered all too well. Underneath the picture was the following ‘LEGENDARY PHANTOM THIEF EROS SPOTTED!’ 

“No…” She whispered. “It can’t be.”

“What can’t be?” Yuuri asked.

She ignored him and bought that magazine to see what was said in it. All the photos inside were blurs but that was expected. Eros was very hard to catch on camera. “I know he drowned…unless this worked.”

“Huh?”

“Oh!” She looked up and saw Yuuri was still there. “It’s nothing! Don’t worry about it.”

“Eros?” He saw the cover. “Did you ever see him?”

“No, I never did.” She answered very quickly and tried to take him away from the stand. “Come on, we’re running late. Mom’s going to be worried if we’re not home before dark.” She took his hand and began to lead him away. This magazine was fake. Every story in it was fake. There was no way Eros could have survived.

Unless the one thing that happened in the past had been successful. If that was the case, then Yuuri was in danger.

~ ~ ~ 

_Present day…_

Yuuri opened his eyes. “I’m sorry. I...I don’t think I remembered what I should have. You wanted my encounter with V and all I could think of was my past.”

“That’s quite all right, Yuuri. If anything, I think we found another piece of this puzzle. Your sister clearly knows more about Eros than she told you. Have you spoken to her lately?”

“I’ve wanted to but the time difference between here and Japan in quite long. I rarely get a chance to speak to anyone unless it’s early in the morning or late at night. Even still, we only talk for a short time. I just call to see how they’re doing.”

“Well, maybe you need to talk about something else. I find it interesting that when I told you to think back to the last time you saw V, you mentioned Victor’s name. How long have you known him?”

“I’ve been a fan for my entire life almost!” Yuuri exclaimed. “I’ve seen every performance Victor skated! I’ve always wanted to be like him even though I know I can’t be. Victor’s legendary! So it’s really an honor to be the one to interview him. Granted, I haven’t gone far with the interview yet.”

“Ah, that does show you are a fan. I do recall the incident when Victor was attacked years ago. He claimed that Eros was the one who saved him.”

“Yeah, I followed that too. I was devastated when I found out that someone out there was cruel enough to hurt him. I’m glad he survived that but…” Yuuri shook his head. “I want to ask Victor more about it but I’m afraid it might bring up bad memories. I don’t want to hurt him by asking him such tough questions.”

“Maybe you need to do that.” Phichit pointed out. “Come on, Yuuri. This is our job! We’re supposed to ask the hard-hitting questions! Besides, Victor seems tough enough to handle something like this. I bet he’s waiting for you to ask him about it. You also need to get tough with your family. If they know something, they should tell you.”

“I agree with him.” The hypnotist added. “It’s time to get your message across to them. Ask them. Keep asking them. Not only that, I bet Victor can help fill in the blanks from last night. You might not remember but he would. Talk to him.”

Yuuri took a deep breath, knowing that they were right. He couldn’t talk around this anymore. He needed to ask them straight on. If Victor got angry, so be it. He needed to know every little detail. “All right, I will. I’m going to try and see if I can talk to Victor tonight. I’ll also try to talk to my sister. I’ve wasted too much time this way.”

“That’s good. I wish you luck in this.”

As they left the office, Phichit began to fill him with a few of the gaps. They had left the restaurant in high spirits but Victor had to leave early. He said that he had to wake up early to skate so they went their separate ways. Phichit was the one who reminded him that V was planning a heist tonight.

“You said it was okay and we were going to catch him. We got there well ahead of time.” He said as they made their way downstairs. “Then you said you saw V jumping from rooftop to rooftop. I couldn’t get a good shot but I tried.” He showed Yuuri a picture on his phone. It had been taken last night and there was a figure out there who was a blur. However, he didn’t need a close up to know who it was. “Before I could get a better shot, you started running after him.”

“Really?” Yuuri was confused as he stared at the photo. He was hoping it would jog his memory but nothing was coming up. All he could remember were bits and pieces of conversation now.

_I found you! I don't know what you want but this isn't going to last forever. This ends now!_

_Is that so? I’m not close to done here. There’s something you have that I want._

_If it’s Snowflake Through the Looking Glass, you’re out of luck. I won’t let it fall into your hands!_

_There’s something more important than that, Eros. There’s something far more expensive and worthwhile than it. You have it._

_And what is that?_

Yuuri blinked and suddenly he could see what happened. He and V were facing each other. V was wearing something really fancy and covered in gold and jewels. For a thief, he wasn’t the kind of person who wanted to hide in shadows. V reached out and touched Yuuri’s cheek while the pull between them tightened. As much as they wanted to deny it, it was there. They were soulmates.

_You and I were meant to be._

_No, there’s only one person that’s meant for me and it isn’t you! I don't want anything to do with you!_

_That’s too bad because we could be wonderful together. I’ve never met anyone like you. You are very persistent and strong when you want to be. No wonder it’s inside of you._

“Yuuri? Are you okay?” Phichit cut in.

“I...I’m remembering a bit more from last night. I did run into V! Not only that, we did talk to each other and he said there’s something more important than Snowflake Through the Looking Glass. He didn’t tell me what it was though, just that it was inside of me.” Yuuri realized. “I really have no idea how to get this out.”

“First thing’s first though; we have a meeting.”

“We do? I don’t remember hearing about it at work.”

“No, we have a meeting with Emil. I thought about us meeting at home where we could have a home cooked meal or something.”

“What home cooked meal? All we have are leftover Chinese food, candy, macaroni and cheese, ice cream, and frozen pizza.”

“Yeah, I know. That’s why we’re supposed to meet him for coffee down the street. He says that he has been following the news and maybe he can help answer some questions. Now let’s go. We’re already running late.”

Yuuri followed Phichi while still trying to remember the rest of last night. Something about V was very familiar to him. It had to be those eyes. He had seen them before and he felt the warmth behind them. As much as he wanted to resist V, he couldn’t do it. The man was very intoxicating for a soulmate. The more time they were together, the tighter their bond became. It just disappointed him that V was his soulmate and not Victor like he wanted.

_Then again, just because V is my soulmate doesn’t mean I can’t see Victor. It doesn’t mean I can’t go on dates with him. It doesn't mean we can't be together at all._

He had seen many stories about people finding their soulmates and how some of them were not pleased. Sometimes, the relationships worked out but other times were a disaster. People found their soulmates but decided to marry or date someone else that they liked. Other times, the soulmate relationships went horribly wrong and people just left them. There was no rule out there that said he had to stay with V. He could stay with Victor for as long as he wanted. 

_At the same time,I need to know more about V. Who is he? What does he know that I don’t know? Why does he want Snowflake Through the Looking Glass and how does he plan to take it out of me?_

There wasn’t much time to think about this because they had arrived at the coffee shop. In the corner, Emil Nekola waved at them. He was younger than Yuuri had expected despite the fact that he had facial hair. Much like a lot of other people, he too had been a figure skater and knew a lot about the others in the skating world. He was especially close with the Crispino twins and kept in touch with them. He also knew a lot about Victor like everyone else in the world. 

“Hello!” He called out. “Come here!”

“Hi!” Phichit greeted him. “Sorry we’re late. Last night was really crazy for us.”

“I know. V got away again.” Emil nodded at the TV that was on. The news was showing footage of last night from when V was being chased by police. Yuuri stared at it in hopes of finding himself there. If he had gone after him, surely he would be there too. Instead, all he saw were police officers and V. 

“Did they find anything about him?” He wanted to know.

 

Emil shook his head. “However, I think I might know something. V is good but he can’t ever be as good as Eros was. Eros was very cunning. He moved through the shadows. V wants attention but I don’t know why.”

“I might know. He wants Eros to notice him. I don’t know why.”

Yuuri kept watching the news as Phichit and Emil kept talking. He was hoping that the cameras would have caught something. He wanted something to help him remember. Where had all this time gone? He believed Phichit and he knew he ran into V. He knew they had talked with each other. However, how did it go from there? 

His phone went off at that moment and he looked down to see that Victor had sent him a message. How are you feeling, Yuuri? Do you have time to talk?

That was a strange question to ask but Yuuri replied. **I’m fine. What’s on your mind?**

Victor answered within seconds. **I want to talk about V and all the heists. I have to tell someone.**

Again, that was another strange thing to see. Why would Victor want to discuss that? Jokingly, Yuuri sent him a reply. **Are you going to tell me that you’re V? Are you the heart-mouthed bandit? :D**

The answer he got to that question was the last thing he expected.

**Yes.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well...shit.
> 
> (Next chapter shall be very interesting to say the least)
> 
> Come yell at me for this or follow me on tumblr: fallsintograce.


	13. Guilty Feelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth slowly starts to unravel...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, all! I know I have other WIPs that need updating but Snowflake keeps calling to me. (I swear I am working on everything else, it's just a slow process). So things are going to start revealing but we aren't at the big blow out yet. That's more towards the end XD. Thank you all for following along with this story! I know it seems confusing but I know what I'm doing and it will make sense in the end (hopefully XD )

No one was thrilled with the idea of Victor revealing his identity to Yuuri. Even though they liked him, Yuuri was part of the media. If he knew, then he could reveal it to everyone else and then their entire operation was over. Yakov would be infuriated, they would be shamed, and they would have been thrown in jail. Everyone convinced him that telling Yuuri was the worst thing he could do.

“Soulmate or not, he’s going to be devastated.” Mila pointed out. “You’ve seen how fragile he is. I can tell just from looking into his eyes. He’s not going to be able to handle this. Are you sure you want to break him like that?”

Victor rubbed his neck, covered up by his scarf. He was doing everything he could to hide a bruise that he had received on the last heist. Yakov had seen it and demanded to know how he got that. Victor claimed it was from a fall but his coach was not buying it. He was going to watch everything closely and make sure that his skaters were still focused. As time passed, he was starting to sense that they had something else going on in their lives. He knew they were sneaking out past curfew but he still didn’t know where they were going.

“I have to tell him.” Victor said. “I’d rather he hears it from me than anyone else. I can explain everything to him and I know he will understand.”

“Or he’s going to be pissed off.” Yuri rolled his eyes. “Come on, Victor! He’s not going to accept you the moment he learns the truth! We have a lot of work to do! Can’t you wait until we’re done?”

“I wanted to but…” Victor shook his head. “No, Yuuri has to know now and I have to be the one to tell him. After what happened during the last heist, he should know. I owe him my life.”

No one dared to question this because Victor was right. If it weren’t for Yuuri showing up, he knew he would either been arrested or dead. The mark on his neck hadn’t come from a fall on the ice but during the heist. He was lucky that this was his only injury from that. So far, Yuuri had not said much about last night and it was a little worrisome. He wondered if Yuuri had already figured this out and that was why he hadn’t called.

After a few hours, Victor couldn’t take it anymore. He texted Yuuri to tell him everything and waited for his response. Yuuri didn’t say anything after the confession but he did get a call about ten minutes later.

“Yuuri, please!” Victor began before Yuuri could even say hello. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to keep this from you! I know you must be angry so I had to tell you myself! I need you to know_”

“Victor, slow down!” Yuuri stopped him. “What is all this about? I haven’t said anything to you yet!”

“I know. I just wanted to explain myself before you did. I know you’re upset by my text.”

“Actually, I’m confused. I was only joking with that question. I didn’t mean to make you panic.” Yuuri went on. “Why would you say yes to something like that?”

“Because...it’s true?” Now it was Victor’s turn to be confused. “You don’t believe me?”

There was a long pause on the other end and Victor began to sweat. If Yuuri hadn’t been angry before, he certainly was now. He expected to hear some yelling and threats. He was sure that Yuuri would call the police on him. He even thought Yuuri would hang up right now. Instead, there was laughter on the other end. Yuuri was laughing over all of this.

“Yuuri? Are you...Are you all right?”

“Oh, Victor, don’t do that to me! I almost believed you!” Yuuri kept laughing. “You don’t have to say things like that to impress me! I know you’re smarter than this. You could never be V.”

“But Yuuri, I was trying to_”

“Victor, it’s okay. I know you said that just to get my attention but you didn’t have to. I’ve always been a big fan of yours. In fact, I was thinking about calling you over to my place tonight. I don’t feel like we’ve had a whole lot of time alone. Phichit is going to be gone all night so it’ll just be the two of us. I…” Yuuri paused again. “I would really like it if you came. I’ll understand if you are busy but_”

“I’d love to come.” Victor finished off for him. Yuuri didn’t believe him over the phone but maybe talking to him in person would be better. That way, he could ease him into everything. “I’ll come at...seven tonight? Is that fine?”

“Seven is perfect! It will give me time to clean up our place. I’ll text you the address!” Yuuri sounded far more enthusiastic now. “Is there anything in particular you want to eat?”

“No. Whatever you like.” Victor felt more guilty now. Plan A to tell Yuuri the truth was a bust so now he needed to go into Plan B. Hopefully, things would be easier if he looked Yuuri in the eye and told him everything. “I’ll be there.”

“Okay! I will see you then.”

He hung up then and Victor didn’t know what to do. It truly sounded like Yuuri didn’t believe him but what if this was a trap? What if Yuuri was setting him up? He hadn’t thought much about the alternative but last night gave him a very good idea of what could happen if he was caught. It wasn’t prison that frightened him but the other alternatives. Last night was a very close call. It had started off like normal and should have gone without a hitch. Yet he had that bruise on his neck to remind him that he wasn’t immortal. He could get hurt and people would ask questions. He had already lied Yakov and many others. He couldn’t do that with Yuuri.

“So how did he take it?” Chris wanted to know once Victor was done. Everyone else was waiting in the other room, wanting to know what Yuuri’s reaction was going to be. 

“He didn’t believe me. I was trying to tell him everything but he thought I was making it all up.” Victor sighed. “I’m going to see him tonight and straighten this out.”

“He didn’t believe you? He’s dumber than I thought.” Yuri grumbled. “I thought he’d be good at figuring all this out!”

“Or maybe he did and he just doesn’t want to believe it. He’s in denial.” Mila pointed out. “Anyway, I don’t think telling him over the phone would have done much. You need to do it in person. Be gentle with him. Tell him everything he wants to know.”

Victor nodded, thinking back to what happened last night. He was feeling guilty because Yuuri was the one who came to his aide. Yuuri, who looked so much like Eros from back in the day, was the one who saved him. They were so alike in that moonlight that he was starting to call this angel Eros Yuuri now. Yet somehow, he was acting like nothing was going on. He was completely clueless. 

He could still picture Eros Yuuri reaching out his hand and asking V if he was all right. That tension that was between them was tightening and hard to ignore. They were soulmates, all right, and they had found each other. The problem was that they didn’t know where to go from here. 

_Are you okay?_ He remembered Eros Yuuri asking as he helped him up. Then he saw the bruise on his neck. _That looks awful. You should have someone look at it._

 _I’m fine. This is nothing._ V replied. The last thing he wanted was someone to ask him about the bruise. Yakov was going to have his hide tomorrow for this. He didn’t need anyone else involved too. _It will heal in time._

 _It was pretty foolish to try and take on all those guards._ Eros Yuuri went on, scolding him like he was still that young teenager who had been attacked years ago. _You are fast but they are much stronger. It’s a good thing I showed up in time. I don’t want to know what they could have done to you._ Then he stood up straight. _Well, good night. Take care of that bruise._

_Wait!_ V grabbed Eros Yuuri by the arm and stopped him. _How did you know I’d be here? Where did you come from? You saved me and you expect me to let you go? I need to know more about you!_

_And why should I tell you anything?_

_Because…_

V wanted to answer him but never had the chance. The pull between them was tight and he had Eros Yuuri in his arms within seconds. He never was able to answer that because they kissed at that moment. That was the last thing Victor could remember about that night but something did stand out the whole time. When he got close to Eros Yuuri, he saw the scar that was on his forehead. Up until now, he had never noticed this. It was making its way up his head and it looked like had been an old injury. He thought it might have been during a time where Yuuri fell and hurt himself. But something about this injury was unique. There was a story behind it. 

“So it’s settled.” Mila decided. “You go and see Yuuri tonight. Tell him what you can but don’t tell him everything. Chris is going to keep his friend distracted so you should have all the time to yourselves. Above everything else, don’t attempt to take Snowflake Through The Looking Glass out of him yet.”

“I don’t know how to do that yet.” Victor admitted. “But I do have to talk to him. There is so much that Yuuri needs to know and I can’t hide it from him anymore. If we are soulmates, then he needs to know the truth.”

“Good luck with that.” Yuri sighed. “I don’t know why but I don’t think this is going to go as well as you hope.”

“Don’t be such a pessimist, Yura! I’m sure things will be fine!” Mila insisted, turning to Victor. “However, Yuuri doesn’t take this well, you know what you’ll have to do.”

He did know that this was a possibility and he knew Yuuri could be upset over this. For the love of all things, he hoped that Yuuri would take it well and be able to get over it. 

If not, then Victor would have to do the one thing he didn’t want to do. 

~ ~ ~ 

Yuuri was looking forward to date night since he had the whole place to himself. Phichit was going out with Chris again and probably wouldn’t home till after two in the morning. That would give him and Victor a lot of time to talk. Maybe he could finally get started on that article that was due tomorrow. Fortunately, his boss was kind enough to give him a week’s extension and he needed to use it. He wanted to get somewhere with all this. 

Dinner was nothing fancy. He had no time to make much beyond a simple salad and Hamburger Helper. It was either that or frozen pizza and he didn’t know how he could make the frozen pizza look fancy. At least with Hamburger Helper, he could throw some rosemary and basil on top to make it look like he took time with it. Besides, Victor would understand that two guys lived here and they didn’t have time to cook fancy meals. Not only that, the conversation Yuuri had with Yuuko earlier was still reeling in his mind. She was the only person who had been up when he called and he wanted some answers about Eros. She would know something and she wouldn’t lie to him.

“I know as much as you know about Eros, Yuuri.” She told him. “I was only two when he supposedly died. My knowledge comes from everything people have said and written about him. Why do you think you have a connection with him?”

“I don’t know. I feel like we’ve met before. There are moments where I just black out and I can’t remember anything. I don’t remember a lot of what I did last night. This has been happening for a long time and I think it has to do with Eros.”

“And why do you say that?”

“Because his last treasure, Snowflake Through the Looking Glass, is inside of me. I know. I can feel it in me.” Yuuri touched his chest, knowing that it was buried deep. He didn’t know how he could get this out without hurting himself. “Yuuko, please tell me everything you know about this. Are people hiding secrets from me? What do you know that I don’t?”

Before Yuuko had a chance to speak, her daughters suddenly came on and started talking all at once. They hadn’t see Yuuri in a long time and were now up late just to speak to him. Yuuko, of course, was not too happy to see Axel, Lutz, and Loop out of bed. She tried to send them back by yelling that them but they weren’t ready to go.

“Are you telling Yuuri about the time Eros did magic?!” Axel exclaimed. 

“Does Yuuri know that he’s got a gem inside of him?” Lutz asked.

“Are you telling him all of the secrets about Eros?!” Loop added. “Did you tell him that_”

“Enough!” Yuuko cut them off, then turned apologetically to Yuuri. “I’m so sorry! My girls are a little too excited. They had too much sugar tonight and now I can’t get them to sleep!” 

“But Mama, Yuuri has to know the truth about him and Eros!” They exclaimed.

“Me and Eros?” Yuuri repeated. “Wait, what are they talking about? What magic? What secrets are you hiding?”

“Nothing, Yuuri! There’s nothing to be afraid of!” Yuuko insisted. Then she started to yell at her children. “Okay, you three, you’ve been up way too long! It’s time for bed!” 

“But you’re up late too!” They pointed out.

“I have reasons to be up late! Now go!” 

Yuuri realized that he needed to hang up now but he couldn’t help wonder what the triplets were going on about. They knew more than he did. They knew there was a connection between him and Eros. They know all about Snowflake Through the Looking Glass. If anyone on the other side of the world would be honest with him, it was going to be the triplets. They were not going to shy away from the truth. They would tell him exactly what he needed to hear so he needed to talk to them alone. That would have to happen a time when they would be awake and their parents wouldn’t be around. 

He quickly sent a text to all three and hoped that one would reply. [Please tell me everything you know about Eros. Make sure your mother and father don’t find out.]

He knew that he could count on them. Axel, Lutz, and Loop would dig up information from every place they could find and tell him all he wanted to know. It would take some time since it was very late in Japan and they would finally fall asleep. In the meantime, he would enjoy his time with Victor. Dinner wasn’t anything fancy but that wasn’t the main reason he had called Victor over. He had other things to talk about. 

Victor arrived far earlier than he intended but that was fine. Dinner was ready and the house was already cleaned. Phichit was gone for the rest of the night and would be with Chris the whole time. Things were going according to plan. To make the mood a little better and more romantic, Yuuri made Victor wait outside for a little bit.

“Hold on, I want to put on some music before you come in.” He suggested, turning it on. Instead the romantic opera song that he wanted, ABBAs “Waterloo” began blasting through the room. Blushing, Yuuri turned that off and went to change it. “Sorry, I think Phichit put that in. Here we go!” This time, he had the right song and “Stammi Vicino” began to fill the air. “Come in!” 

Victor perked up the opening notes of the song. “Yuuri, you have...this is the song that I_”

“This is your free program song from last season. I know.” Yuuri confirmed for him, taking his coat. “Here, let me have your scarf!”

“Oh no, that’s okay!” Victor insisted. The last thing he wanted was for Yuuri to see that bruise on his neck. He wanted to go into this confession slowly and ease Yuuri into it. “I...I got hurt on the ice earlier. I’m a little…”

“Self-conscious? I get it.” Yuuri nodded, leading him inside. “I apologize for how small this place is and that I wasn’t able to make anything fancy for dinner. We didn’t get a chance to shop for groceries this week and I’m also behind on my own work. I was supposed to have your interview ready to go by tomorrow.” 

“Oh, I’m sorry! We had so much together that I didn’t let you do your job.” Victor apologized. “I hope you aren’t in trouble!”

“No, you are fine. I was given a week’s extension. Maybe we can talk about it tonight after dinner if you don’t mind.”

Victor was nearly jumping with joy inside. Yuuri was giving him the opportunity he needed to explain himself. He could ease into this and get Yuuri to understand where he was coming from. Maybe if he was lucky, he would get to see Eros Yuuri tonight as well. There were some secrets that Yuuri was keeping from the world. How did he and Eros have a connection? Did he have any idea who Eros truly was? Tonight was the night they were going to find out each other’s secrets.

“Yuuri, about what I was saying earlier…” He began.

“It’s okay, Victor.” Yuuri took him to the dining room where dinner was ready. Granted, he was right that it wasn’t fancy in any means. It wasn’t going to be that amazing katsudon that they had earlier but it wouldn’t be bad. “I know why said that to me. I know what you’re trying to do.”

“You do?” 

“Yes. It’s so obvious why you’d say something like that. I get it but you don’t have to lie to me about that. You don’t have to pretend to be someone you aren’t.”

“Yuuri, I wasn’t lying to you! I really am V. Everything you saw and heard...that was me.” Victor explained. “I did everything but I have reasons for it.”

Yuuri laughed at that. “I don’t believe you!”

“Why not?”

“You’re Victor Nikiforov! You’re one of the greatest skaters in the world, a living legend! You have no reason to steal anything! You don’t need the attention like this guy does.” Yuuri pointed out. “You don’t need to say those things to impress me, Victor. I already like you as you are.” Then he smirked. “A part of my mind wants to get angry with you for saying that and the other half just wants to kiss you for making me laugh. You’re funny, Victor. Very funny.” 

It was hopeless trying to talk to him this way so Victor needed another approach. Plan B was falling apart in front of him so he had to try Plan C. It was the plan he didn’t want to go through but it may have been the best. He was going to pull off another heist and this time, he wanted Yuuri to be there. He wanted Yuuri to witness every single step. If that was the best way to get him to beleive it, he had to do it. 

Dinner went on like normal with Yuuri asking him a lot of typical questions. He wanted to know a lot about his skating career and what his life was like as well as future plans. Victor answered like always, still wanting to talk more about being V. Was Yuuri in denial? He probably could be based on how he kept wanting to change the subject. Meanwhile, Victor could see the scar on Yuuri’s forehead. Last night, he was able to get a better look at it. 

“What happened to you?” He couldn’t help asking, pointing to his forehead. “Did you fall?”

“Oh, this?” Yuuri rubbed the scar. “This is from when I was a kid. Everyone says I fell on the ice and that’s how I got this. Phichit jokes that I got a lobotomy. I know he’s kidding but now…” He trailed off. Phichit might have been joking but now he was wondering if there was truth to that. Did he have a lobotomy when he was a child and he didn’t know? “I’m not even sure anymore.”

“Why not? You don’t remember what happened?”

Yuuri shook his head. “There’s a lot I can’t remember anymore. I thought I knew myself and now I’m finding out that I know nothing. My family and friends are keeping secrets from me. I’m following V’s story and I’m getting nothing from him. There are clues everywhere but I’m not seeing the big picture. I feel so stupid.”

“You’re not stupid!” Victor got up and went over to him. “That’s why I’m trying to_”

He never was able to finish his sentence because Yuuri kissed him on the lips. It must have been his nerves because the kiss didn’t feel normal. It was very intoxication and neither wanted to let go. Yuuri realized what he had done after a minute and pulled away.

“I’m sorry! I just got nervous and…” He stopped. “I shouldn’t have done that. You were trying to say something and I just panicked. That’s not how I normally act! I swear!” 

“It’s okay! I don’t mind!” Victor insisted. “But Yuuri, you need to listen to me. I’m trying to tell you something very important. Just hear me out and try to believe me. Even if it sounds strange, I want you believe me. I can’t lie to you anymore.”

“Okay.” Yuuri nodded, feeling a massive headache coming on. His nerves were getting the best of him and he needed to calm down. “What do you want to say?”

“First off, this is between the two of us. Do not tell anyone, not even your friend.”

“I can do that. What else?”

“Secondly, this is about V. You want to know who he is, right? You want to know all about him and why he’s doing all this.”

“Yes, I can’t figure that out. No one can. He just shows up, steals things, and then disappears as quickly as he comes in. He’s left no clue about his identity. The police haven’t been able to catch him. Still, he seems familiar to me.” Yuuri looked into Victor’s eyes, wondering if he could find the answer in there. “I feel like I’ve met him before. Maybe in another life? I’m not sure but I want to know.”

“So why haven’t you figured it out yet?”

“Because everytime I get close to the answer, I black out and I don’t remember anything. It’s been happening a lot.” Yuuri murmured, looking down at his phone. It had been going off for a few minutes and he could see that Yuuko was calling him. It was unusual for her to call at this hour so he knew it had to be big. Was this one of her children using her phone to call? Were they able to get him information? If that was the case, he couldn’t ignore this. “Will you excuse me for a second? My friend in Japan is calling and I need to find out why. I asked her to do me a favor…”

“Of course.” Victor pulled away, knowing he had to save his truth for a little later. “I’ll be right here.”

“Thank you. I won’t take long.” 

Yuuri took his phone and went into his bedroom to talk in private. “Hello?”

“Oh, Yuuri! I’m glad I caught you!” Yuuko exclaimed. “I’m sorry to bother you but I had to get this out! I know you have been asking questions and I’m feeling very guilty. I tried to hide this but I don’t think I can. I can’t sleep because of everything. You deserve to know the truth from someone.”

“The truth?” Yuuri repeated. “What are you trying to say, Yuuko? What do you know?”

“Well, I know you’ve been busy and you’re following this new phantom thief around everywhere. Your family is worried about you and there is a good reason why. It has everything to do with Eros and the past. We’ve been keeping this from you because we didn’t want to hurt you. I know now that we can’t hide it. You need to know.”

“What do I need to know?” Yuuri felt the pit inside of his stomach growing wider with everything she said. Yuuko was distressed and he could tell she was dreading this moment. She was telling him because she cared. “You know about V, don’t you? Are you telling me that he is Eros?”

“No, he’s not Eros.” Yuuko murmured, taking a deep breath before saying the next part. “You are.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 0_0
> 
> Am I crazy for all of this? Absolutely. 
> 
> Come yell at me in comments or on tumblr: @fallsintograce


	14. I Am Eros, Eros is Me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little revelation and a possible conclusion...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! I know I have other mer fics I should update first but Snowflake continues calling to me. This part has been on my mind for a while but now is the time to release it! Thank you all who are still following along and enjoying it. Please forgive any grammar/spelling errors. I hope you still continue to enjoy the story cause this ride has only begun...

It was well past midnight in the coffeeshop where Mila was waiting for news. The store itself had closed but she was still staying around as her girlfriend helped clean things up. There was so much that she had to tell Sara but she didn’t have her chance. Whenever Sara got a break, her brother would yell at her for help on something. At least, that’s what he was pretending he needed. In actuality, Michele Crispino didn’t want his sister spending time with her lover that much. He didn’t exactly approve of these heists but didn’t tell the police since he didn’t want to lose Sara or make her unhappy. For the time being, he kept his mouth shut. 

That didn’t ease any tensions though. After Victor announced that he was going to tell Yuuri the truth, everyone was concerned. Mila took refuge in the shop and hope that no one would find her. So far, the police hadn’t tracked them down and there had been no new news on social media. There was no breakthough in any of the heist cases. If Victor had said anything at all, either Yuuri didn’t believe him or he didn’t care. Somehow, she didn’t think it was the latter. Yuuri wasn’t the type of person not to care about what was happening in the world. What if he got angry enough that he hurt Victor?

 _No._ She told herself as she stared into her empty cup. The coffee was long gone but she couldn’t leave. Until she got word that things were fine, she wasn’t leaving. _I have seen Yuuri. He would never do anything to hurt Victor._

“Are you all right?” Sara asked, finally finished with cleaning and taking a spot next to her girlfriend. She looked over Mila’s shoulder and saw her checking the news and messages on her phone. “He’s sent you nothing.”

“I don’t know what’s going on.” Mila shook her head. “Everything has been running smoothly until this point. Victor is too infatuated with Yuuri. He thinks that this is Eros. If that’s enough, Chris is spending too much time with Yuuri’s friend. What if he finds out the truth too?”

“Well, I think Yuuri looks a little bit like Eros. If you take out the glasses and push back his hair, it’s almost uncanny.”

“How do you know that? No one has ever seen Eros. That’s just what a bunch of eyewitnesses said and none of their stories match up completely.”

“He still looks like an Eros. Look at those eyes.” Sara pointed to the picture Yuuri that Mila had pulled up. It had come from the blog that he shared with his friend, Three Hamsters, A Dog, and A Blog. Yuuri looked so innocent and sweet in that picture where he was holding a tiny poodle. The poodle, named Victor, had passed away not long ago but his memory still lived on. There was no way this could be the same Eros that everyone talked about.

Victor had talked a lot about Yuuri ever since he had started dating him. Yuuri was supposed to be interviewing him but it seemed to be one thing neither had time for. They were spending a lot of time together and Mila could understand why Victor didn’t want to hide secrets from Yuuri anymore. He had grown to care about him and he was tired of this cat and mouse game. Yuuri deserved to know the truth now. He deserved to know who was playing along with him. Mila was supportive of this but she had warned him to be careful. Yuuri was not going to take this one lightly and chances were high that he would be upset. Their whole plan would blow up in their faces. So far, things were quiet so she assumed that Victor hadn’t gotten around to telling him everything yet. It was just a matter of time before he began to put it all together. 

“I don’t think he’s stealing anything. I wish Victor would just stay away from him and leave him alone. But now, he’s drawn to him.” Mila sighed. “I really wonder how Yuuri is taking this news. I haven’t heard anything from Victor. What if…” She didn’t want to believe in the worst. “What if Victor can’t answer back? What if something happened to him?”

“Sara! We’re not done!” Michele yelled at his sister.

“I took care of everything already, Mickey! I put it all away!” Sara yelled back, annoyed that her moment had been crushed by her brother. She squeezed Mila’s hand and gave her a small kiss. “I wouldn’t worry. Victor is brave and smart. He knows what he is doing.” 

“I hope you are right.” Mila leaned against Sara’s shoulder for comfort. “And I really hope that no one else finds out the truth about us.”

~ ~ ~

Yuuko was not sure how Yuuri was going to take this revelation because he went silent. She couldn’t tell how he was feeling or what she needed to do. Her children were talking over each other, trying to give him details and she finally had to shoo them away. She needed her privacy with him so she could explain it all.

“I know it comes as a shock_” She began.

“How?” He cut her off. “How can I be Eros? Didn’t he live a long time ago? I never stole anything!”

“Let me explain. Now this is what my family told me so I’m not sure how true it is. It may sound crazy to you but this does involve some...well, magic.”

“Magic.”

“It’s true that Eros existed and that he was incredibly difficult to catch. He used to mock the police all the time and they were never able to find him. A lot of eyewitnesses claimed to have seen him but none of their stories matched up. All we knew was that he existed. He was heard all around the news until the one day he disappeared. Along with him, he took Snowflake Through the Looking Glass. The world thought he was dead. A lot of people still think he’s dead.”

“But he’s not.” Yuuri concluded for her. “You think I’m Eros. How is that possible? I have never broken the law!” 

“I’m getting to that point. Well, rumor has it that Eros fell through ice and drowned after stealing Snowflake Through the Looking Glass. However, he wasn’t ready to give up everything. He knew his body would expire but his soul would not. There were two things he wanted to keep safe; Snowflake Through the Looking Glass and his soul. Somehow, he had found a way to combine both.”

“So that’s where the magic comes in?”

“I guess so. This is what my father told me so I’m just repeating what he said. To make a complicated thing short, Eros was able to fuse his soul and the jewel together. He did this as he was drowning so you can imagine how powerful he must have been. He just needed a safe place to keep them and this is where you family comes in.”

Yuuri didn’t wait for her to continue because he was suddenly able to piece certain parts together. If this magic was real and Eros needed a place to keep everything, then he would put it in one place that no one would look. “No. They wouldn’t…”

“Please don’t get mad at them! They did this because it would protect you! So in a way, you are Eros now. Eros lives in you. Eros is around because of you.”

“And that’s a good thing? I don’t want to be Eros or have anything to do with him! How does that protect me?! Why wouldn’t they tell me this?!”

“They did this when you were too young to remember. I’ve wanted to tell you for a long time but I didn’t know how you’d react. I didn’t think you’d believe me!”

“So you thought keeping this a secret from was a better idea?”

“This wasn’t my idea, Yuuri! I know it sounds crazy and it is hard to believe. I didn’t even believe it when I heard the whole story. If you really want every detail behind the story of Eros, ask your family. Your father, mother, Mari...they know more than I do. You are Eros, Eros is you now. You have to keep that treasure of his safe.”

“Why? It doesn’t belong to me. In fact, I need to get it out! I have to take it out. How do I do that?” 

Before Yuuko had a chance to reply, there was a knock on the door from Victor. “Yuuri? Are you okay?”

“I have to go.” Yuuri whispered. He had forgotten about Victor being left alone in the living room. “I have company.”

“I know.” She whispered back. “Please try to be understanding if you do talk to your family. I know it will hurt but they had their reasons.”

“Which were?”

“Ask them. It would be so much better if you asked them and they will come clean to you. Don’t do anything rash, okay? Think before you say anything. Don’t anger quickly. I know I didn’t give you much but don’t try to worry about it.”

That was a lot easier to say than do. Yuuri logged off and told Victor he’d be out in a minute. In truth, he had no idea what he was going to do next. A part of him was angry about this and another part of him was confused. He didn’t expect magic to be part of this equation because that couldn’t be real. There was no way Eros would put his soul and a large gem inside another person. More importantly, he would not do that to a baby. What made him think that was a great hiding place?

 _If any of this is true, how am I supposed to get this gem out? How do I get his soul out?_ He wondered. Yuuko was right that he needed to talk to his family. He just didn’t know how to say it. He didn’t want to believe that they would do something like this and not tell him. They had to have a good reason. His parents were loving, kind people. There was no way they would try to make any kind of a deal with a criminal. What were they going to gain out of this? Eros didn’t seem like a person who cared about others so why would they care about him? 

His head hurt as he looked down at his phone for messages. The first was an invitation to a fancy gala that was four days from now. He was assigned to cover this now along with Phichit. Another message had come from Phichit saying that he wasn’t coming home tonight. That much had been a given ever since he started spending more time with Chris. He claimed it was all being done in the name of research but just everyone at work knew better. He wanted to be with Chris. They were getting closer and both were enjoying each other’s company. 

_It’s good he’s not coming home tonight. I don’t know if I can explain anything. What do I say? How do I tell him I’m Eros?_

The anger was still there but it was underneath a giant layer of confusion. Yuuko had only started telling him the story. He didn’t know why this had happened or why he was never told about it. The more he thought about it, the worse his headache got. He needed a distraction and he still had Victor sitting in the living room.

Victor. He felt guilty for being a terrible host and leaving Victor all alone while he tried to figure his life out. That wasn’t fair to him at all since Yuuri was the one asked him to come here. When he left the room, he tried to be cheerful and act like nothing had gone wrong. 

Of course, Victor saw right through him. “What happened, Yuuri? Are you hurt?”

Yuuri shook his head and sat down. “I don’t know if I can explain this. I don’t even understand it.”

“What is it?”

“Um...I’m not sure. I feel like my family and friends have kept a big secret from me.” He rubbed his forehead and felt that scar. They all had said it had been from a fall on ice and he believed it. Now he wasn’t sure and that headache was getting worse. “No one is coming clean. No one is telling me the whole story. I just don’t know what to do.”

“Oh.” Victor stood up. “I should probably go then.”

“No!” Yuuri grabbed his wrist. “Please stay the night. I...I need someone here and Phichit’s not coming back until morning. I don’t want to be alone. So if you could stay…”

Victor didn’t need to be told twice. He sat back down and pulled Yuuri into a kiss. The headache was still there but the kiss made it more bearable. Both wanted to pour their hearts out and reveal all that they knew. It just wasn’t a good time. Victor had been trying to come up with another plan to explain all the heists while Yuuri wondered how to explain this little revelation. How could Victor believe any of this? Would he even want to be with Yuuri once he learned the truth?

“Can I ask a favor of you?” Yuuri pulled away long enough to ask.

“Yes, anything!” Victor nodded, squeezing Yuuri’s hands. “Anything you want, I will give it to you.”

“Is that so? Even if it was something out of the ordinary?”

“Even out of the ordinary.”

“I see.” Yuuri contemplated telling him what he knew but held back. _No, I can’t say that. I can’t hurt his feelings this way. If it hurts him, then I’ll have to break up with him. What do I say to him then? ‘Hey, Victor, let’s end this?’ That would never work._

“What is it, Yuuri?” Victor pressed on. “What do you want me to do?” 

“You’re not going to like it but you’re the only one I can trust to do this. Phichit would try to talk me out of it. So would everyone else. I know you can pull it off. It might hurt but you have to do it.”

“And what do I have to do?”

Yuuri took a deep breath. “I want you to take Snowflake Through the Looking Glass out of me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do apologize for the shortness of this chapter. I hope I can make it up by the time the next one rolls around. Speaking of which, next chapter will probably be the end of the second half of the story. Third half will deal with all the aftermath, all the truths, lies, lots of anger, and love. So roughly, I think there's about 6-8 chapters left, give or take a few. It's going to explode soon. 
> 
> Come yell at me in comments or on tumblr: [fallsintograce](http://fallsintograce.tumblr.com)


	15. Planning The Final Heist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The planning of the final heist begins and Phichit makes a terrible discovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, I needed to take a break from writing mer-fic to work on this! As you can now see, we have an end in sight. I'm estimating up to 22 chapters, give or take one or two. We are in the final stretch! From here, the ball is going to start rolling and things will be answered.

Victor could feel everything grow cold as he watched Yuuri go over to the kitchen and pull out a knife. He was still trying to process what he just heard. “You want me to do what?”

“I need this out of me. You’re the only person I can trust that will be able to do this.” Yuuri handed him the large kitchen knife. “This is the only thing I can think of.”

“If I do this, you’ll die!” Victor shook his head. As much as he wanted Snowflake Through the Looking Glass, this wasn’t the way to get it. “No, Yuuri. I’m sorry. I’m not going to do this. Besides, it’s not that easy to take that out. You can’t cut yourself and expect to pull it out like that.” 

“Then how else am I going to get it out?” Yuuri also didn’t like the idea of cutting out the gem but he couldn’t think of another way. “Don’t tell me that you have to use magic.”

“Um, actually…”

“Victor, please!” He sighed as he put the knife down. “I’ve had enough for one night. I don’t even know what to think or feel anymore. I tried to get answers from my friend but she didn’t give me enough. I have to ask my family what they did. I...I don’t even know who I am anymore.” He sat down on the couch and tried to explain what was happening. “My family has been keeping secrets from me. Everyone knows what’s going on but they didn’t think to tell me about it. Eros and I apparently have a deeper connection than I realized.”

“What kind of connection?”

Yuuri thought about telling Victor everything but held off. After all, he himself didn’t know the entire story. “I’m not sure about that either. I need some time to think about all this. I have to ask my family what they did and why they did it. What was their reason? I...my head hurts.”

Victor could take a hint. “I should probably leave you then.”

“No, I need you to stay! I told you I want you to stay. I’m sorry I can’t tell you what’s going on. I just...I don’t even know what’s wrong with me. I just want to forget about what I heard.”

“Then forget about it.” Victor suggested, pulling Yuuri into his arms and letting him rest against his chest. While he was vulnerable, he could explain everything about the heists but Yuuri wasn’t interested in them. He could see it in his eyes. The explanations would have to wait till morning. For now, Yuuri just wanted him to be there. “Forget what you heard. I promise we’ll find all your answers. Don’t do anything right now that you’re going to regret. Just stay here. Stay right here and I’ll help you with anything.” 

“I really hope so. I don’t know what to do. I just want this thing out of me.” He murmured. “I don’t know what to do right now.”

“Nothing.” Victor suggested. “Do nothing for now. We can come up with something in the morning.”

Yuuri seemed to accept that suggestion but Victor was now wondering how to explain anything. Clearly, he knew the truth about himself and he knew where Snowflake Through the Looking Glass was. However, it wasn’t easy getting the gem out of him. Cutting him open wasn’t going to do anything. All it would was cause more pain. 

This would have been a good time to explain everything but he could tell that Yuuri didn’t want to hear it. He just wanted time to rest and think about what he had heard. He let Yuuri rest on his shoulder and tried to come up with another way to reveal himself. He looked down and saw that Yuuri had pulled out his phone. There was an online invitation to a party that was taking place on Saturday. The word ‘Saturday’ kept blinking in that invitation and apparently Yuuri had been invited to it. This was going to be a masked ball and he needed to cover it. So now he had another article to work on.

“I don’t even want to go.” He murmured. “I’m not sure I can.”

“I told you not to think about anything. Just lie here with me.” 

Victor held onto Yuuri a little longer and thought about that invitation. This was not going to be any ordinary party. It would be filled with rich patrons wearing their very best clothes and jewelry. One particular piece of jewelry had been on his eyes for months and now the time had come. If Yuuri went to this ball, this would be even better. Now he could show him for sure what was going on. It would be easier for him to see how things went down. Tomorrow morning, he’d go back to everyone else and they would put the final heist in motion. They would plan everything down to the smallest detail. 

On Saturday, everything was going to end. 

~ ~ ~

The next morning had come and Mila didn’t even realize she had fallen asleep in the coffee shop until the light poured in through the window. Evidently, Sara had let her sleep there instead of waking her up. Her brother had probably complained about this but there was nothing they could do. According to her phone, Victor still hadn’t come home but he left a message. He was having a sleepover and wouldn’t be back till late in the morning. No police had caught him either so things were good. She asked how Yuuri took to the news but hadn’t gotten a reply about that. Apparently, Victor would tell them about it later. Things had taken an interesting turn. 

_I guess it must be good so far. If Yuuri isn’t angry and he’s still there, they must have gotten over that news._

All the same, she worried about being found out. Yuuri would probably take this well but not the rest of the world. Far too many people online were making bets on who the mysterious Heart-Mouth Bandit was. A lot of the online polls had Victor’s name on them and a good chunk of people were voting for him. She could only hope these were just for fun and no one truly believed that Victor was V. Judging from the comments, they were all joking and making terrible puns. A ton of people were pretending to be V online and leaving stupid heart-shaped smiles all over the comments. They were having too much fun with this.

 _None of this is a game though. They could never understand._ Mila thought as she scrolled through the news. In more the serious parts of the Internet, the police were still on the hunt for V. The man who had hurt Victor didn’t have any evidence or clues on him. He didn’t remember much about V’s appearance because he had been knocked cold. However, he was convinced V had an accomplice. While he wasn’t wrong about that, no one else had gone into the building at that time. They had no idea what had happened. Not even Victor could tell them because he had been recovering from being choken. He just seemed convinced that Eros had come back and let him free. Unfortunately, he was the only one who believed that. 

“Have you heard anything?” Sara asked as she brought over a cup of coffee. “I’m sorry I didn’t wake you up last night. You looked so peaceful that I didn’t want to bother you. Mickey kept telling me to send you home but I couldn’t.”

“It’s all right. Apparently, nothing happened. Victor’s still at Yuuri’s place and all I know is that Yuuri didn’t want him to go. So far, everything seems fine.” Mila shrugged. “He promised he’ll come back soon. That’s good though. We have to start the final phase.” 

“Oh, that.” Sara nodded, sliding in next to her girlfriend. “So you know where it is?”

“Oh, yes. I’ve found the owner of it but getting it will be hard. This is going to require work from everyone. The owner will be coming to town over the weekend and he won’t be alone. We have to move quickly and I have to come up with roles for everyone. I don’t think Yura is going to like his role though.”

“And why is that?”

“He’s going to have to spend a lot of time with the owner.” Mila smirked. “I haven’t told him who it is yet though. I think he’s going to be surprised and he’s going to hate me for it. Unfortunately, he’s the best person for this job.”

Sara laughed and stole a kiss from her. “What about my job? What am I going to do?”

“Besides being my date? You’ll see.” Mila winked. “All I need now is for the Heart-Mouth Bandit to come home. This is all that’s left to complete. After that, we’ll end this.” 

“Are you sure you’ll be able to? What if you’re caught?” Sara asked. “The security is going to be very tight that night. What will you do if you are caught? I don’t think anyone will forgive you.”

“We won’t get caught.” Mila promised. “We’ve come this far. We can’t back out now. I know this one will be hard but we’ll get through it. I’m just more worried about how Yura is going to react to his role.”

“And how am I supposed to react?” Yuri asked, coming from around the corner. “I came here as soon as this place opened to find you. Yakov’s been asking where the hell everyone is and he sent me out to get everyone back. I’m not surprised you slept over here. Where’s Victor?”

“He didn’t come home last night but he promised he’ll be back. I guess he spent a lot of time with Yuuri.”

“Great! This is just what I was afriad of! He’s sleeping with that pig!” Yuri groaned, slumping into a chair. “I guess he didn’t tell him yet or else we’d have cops on our asses by now. We’re lucky. I don’t know how long that’s going to last. Hopefully, we can get away again before they find out the truth.”

“In any case, we still have to start planning the final heist. I do have some idea of what we need to do. Getting in won’t be a problem. We’ll have our invitations and then everything can start. Our main objective will be to find the target. Once we have him in sight, the rest of the plan is going to fall into place. We cannot let him go.” 

Mila pointed to the newspaper article about a huge gala and masked ball that was going to take place in three days time. Their eyes were on the most expensive piece that would be there. It wouldn’t be standing in the halls or hanging up where people could see. No, what they were after was the King’s Gold Medal, the final piece of their puzzle. It was priceless and would be worn by the one person that no one was looking forward to spending time with. 

“It turns out that the ‘king’ is going to need an escort for this night.” Mila explained. “Basically, this is someone who has to be at his side, walk with him, get him food and drink, and just show him around. Yura, this is the part of the plan you will probably not like.”

“Pfft, you mean the party itself? I’ll live.” Yuri shrugged. “It doesn’t sound like a whole lot of fun but if we get the job done, then I’ll get through it. I can escort someone around and pretend that I’m enjoying myself.”

“No, you’re not understanding what I’m trying to say. You will have to be his escort. You will have to be the one to show him around.”

Again, Yuri didn’t see what was the problem. “Okay, so that’s boring but that’s all. What’s the problem?”

“It’s not a hard job. It’s just...you may not be happy with who you’re going to be with.” Mila looked over at Sara who nodded. Yuri needed to know so he could prepare. “The ‘king’ is from Canada.”

Yuri soon realized what she was getting at. “Come on, hag. I trust you. I don’t know why but I trust that you won’t lie to me. Don’t tell me it’s him. Don’t tell me it’s the one person I’m dreading. I’ll spend time with anyone else! I’ll take part in something else! It can’t be him!”

“I’m afraid we have no choice. We need someone with him at all times and you’re the best person for that job. Besides, he requested someone like you. He thinks you will be just fine. In fact, he’s eager to spend time with you.”

“No! No, anyone but him! Please tell me it’s anyone but him!”

Before anyone could say anything, Sara played the video that announced the masked ball. It showed several people walking around, fancy gowns, beautiful jewelry, and the names of the guests. One name in particular flashed in gold and Yuri paled. There he was, the last person he wanted to be an escort to. This was the ‘king’ of the ball. He turned around to face the camera, did his signature move, and flashed a toothy smile. Yuri could feel his heart drop as he heard the three words that he despised. These were the words that could make anyone want to vomit. 

“It’s JJ Style!” 

Yuri groaned. It was his biggest fear. He was going to spend time with ‘King’ JJ Leroy just so they could pull off their heist. Saturday was going to be a long night.

~ ~ ~

Phichit came home around 8 the next morning but Yuuri was still asleep and Victor was still in the apartment. Apparently, neither one of them had thought to clean the dishes or pick anything up during the night. There were clothes and things all over the floor and food was still on the counter. He wasn’t surprised by this but it was disappointing. That meant they would have to clean their place today.

A part of him was hoping Yuuri would be alone because he had a lot to tell him. The main thing was that the police were now trying to hunt V down because someone tried to stop earlier. Someone had grabbed the thief by the throat and squeezed it hard enough to leave a bruise. Now people were looking for anyone with that telltale bruise and questioning those that had marks on their necks. So far, V had not been caught. The man who had grabbed him didn’t have any traces of DNA or clues that could help figure out his identity. The man also didn’t know how V got out of his grasp. He only saw a flash of light and was knocked out. When he came around, V had escaped. 

For his part, Phichit hoped that another heist would come around soon. He was still scouring social media for any hints about the thief’s identity. There were a lot of polls and a few joking choices were being picked. One of those choices was Victor Nikiforov. It was funny but it certainly didn’t help lead anyone to the answers. 

He peeked into Yuuri’s bedroom and saw that Victor was curled up next him, sheets all around their bodies. Their feet were sticking out from underneath, dirty and bruised. He opted not to wake them right now. He knew how last night went. It probably was the same thing that happened between him and Chris. It was supposed to be a quiet evening and it ended up being so much more. Phichit had tried to send messages to say what he was up to but never got the chance. Last night was good. They had fun, they slept together, and they were getting ready for another night alone.

Of course, the night would have been perfect if Phichit didn’t get an invite to the masked ball full in blinking lights. It was shortly followed by his boss telling him that he wanted to have that event covered. He also wanted Yuuri to cover that too so that meant the two of them needed to find costumes and masks for this party. Finding a date would be no problem. Phichit had already asked Chris, who was more than happy to come, and Yuuri would most likely ask Victor. The ball would have a lot of jewels that a certain phantom thief would be interested in. If V made his appearance, this story would certainly be interesting. That was the kind of story that people would want to read. 

_I’ll tell Yuuri everything as soon as he gets up._ Phichit decided, going over to put his coat in the closet. In trying to get a hanger, another coat fell to the ground. It didn’t look like anything he or Yuuri owned so he figured it was Victor’s. The pockets felt heavy for some reason. He figured that Victor probably had his phone or a wallet so he didn’t think about going through them. As he pulled up the coat, something fell out of the pockets. They were shiny, bright, and worth far more money that anyone could afford. All these jewels looked very familiar as well and it dawned on him. One of these things had been stolen recently and the police were on the hunt for it. 

“Oh no…” Phichit whispered, realizing what he had come across. Everything in those pockets was stolen from somewhere. These were jewels that police were looking for. He didn’t understand why anyone would carry all this around but it did answer a big question. It answered the one question that was on everyone’s mind and it would be the one thing to break Yuuri’s heart.

Yuuri was sleeping with V in the next room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lemme know what you think and come yell at me on tumblr @ fallsintograce. 
> 
> If nothing else, you'll get a ton of YOI, sea creatures, and random stuff on there XD


	16. Confrontations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The start of everything unraveling...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, we're getting down to the wire here! Some truth is getting out now. However, I still promise a happy ending at the end of it all. How will things go? You'll just have to buckle up and see.

Yuuri couldn’t remember much beyond the phone call with Yuuko, the truth slowly coming out, and Victor’s arms wrapped around him. He was broken and didn’t know what else to do. A part of him didn’t want to cut that gem out but he also didn’t want it in him anymore. He didn’t want to carry Eros around with him. He wanted to get rid of that thief and everything that came with him. Victor had kept him from cutting anything out but they still had no idea what they were going to do. All they ended up doing was sleeping with each other.

Any other time, Yuuri would have been thrilled with this. He was having sex with the Victor Nikiforov, the man he admired all his life. He was doing the one thing that most people would give a left arm to do. He not only had Victor’s friendship, he had made love to him. He only wished that he had been happier enough to enjoy it. Even as they were getting deep, he kept growing tense and thinking back to what he found out.

“I’m sorry I’m not a lot of fun.” He apologized when they were done. “I just...I don’t even know who I am right now. My mind is in another place.”

“I see.” Victor murmured. He had sensed Yuuri wasn’t there tonight because he wasn’t having fun. His Yuuri was too upset to make love but he also wanted to forget about things. Sex was the best way to do that even if he wasn’t in the mood. “If it’s too painful, let’s just forget about it. Go to sleep.”

“I can’t sleep. I have to call my family and get the rest of the story. I don’t know if I can. I’m afraid I’m going to find out something I don’t want to know.” Yuuri admitted. “I don’t know what to feel or what I can say to them. I don’t even want to believe they’d do this to me.”

“You will have to confront them. You need to know the truth.”

Those words came back to hurt Victor. He had been trying his hardest to tell Yuuri the truth but no moment seemed to be good. Giving it straight to him had failed and he hadn’t shown him anything. All they did was fool around in bed, get the sheets dirty, and try to fall asleep with each other. Yuuri was shaking the whole time. Part of it was fear and part of it was out of anger. Every emotion was boiling inside and it wouldn’t take long before it all came undone.

Neither one knew what time they fell asleep but morning came with sunlight pouring through the blinds and birds chirping outside. Yuuri was already up and checking his phone, squinting at the tiny letters on the screen. When Victor nudged him, he put it away.

“Good morning.” He whispered. “I was checking my messages. My boss keeps reminding me to go to that masquerade on Saturday and to make sure I write about every single second. He’s also hoping V shows up again cause, in his words, he wants me to trace this lunatic’s every move.”

Victor felt a headache coming on but said nothing. “Are you all right now, Yuuri?”

“Not really. You’re right though. I need to face my family and get the truth, no matter how much it hurts. I need to know why they would do something like this.” Yuuri rolled out of bed as he heard something shuffling in the kitchen. “Phichit must have come home. I better go see how he’s doing.”

Victor nodded, looking at his phone. Chris had sent several messages saying that he was getting laid and enjoying a pleasant view. Those two had bonded but he still hadn’t told Phichit what he was really doing. He didn’t want to reveal that until after the heists were over. What Phichit didn’t know couldn’t hurt him. They couldn’t let anyone else learn the truth yet. He also found out details about their final heist. Naturally, it would at the masked ball because the king would be there. V had to make his appearance just to get that gold medal. The roles were all set. He just needed to go over the plan with everyone.

As soon as he had gotten dressed and washed up, he found Yuuri and Phichit sitting in the kitchen with a box full of kolaches. Phichit had come home with breakfast and there were different kinds of stuffed pastries in that box, both sweet and savory. Yuuri was trying to eat one but it didn’t look like he had much of an appetite.

“It’s one of your favorites.” Phichit was telling him. “They actually had a lot of kolaches stuffed with egg and chorizo today. I also got a lot of the ones filled with Nutella too.”

“I know and I’m glad you bought some. I’m just not hungry.” Yuuri admitted. “There’s so much that happened last night and I still have to talk to my family. Not to mention, we’ve been asked to cover that masquerade and I need a costume. I don’t really want to go but I don’t have a choice.”

“Ah, don’t sweat over that. I’ll help you if you need to find anything.” Phichit promised him, looking at the clock on the microwave. “Oh, if you want to talk to your parents, you better do it now.”

“Yeah, I should.” Yuuri got up from his chair and took his phone. “I’ll talk to them in my bedroom. If you’ll excuse me…”

Victor moved out of the way. “Go. Tell them everything you’re feeling.”

Once Yuuri was gone, he expected things to be fine. However, Phichit was giving him a look that he had never seen before. It wasn’t the friendly look that he was used to but a cold one. He couldn’t understand why he was being subjected to this so he had to ask. “Is everything okay?” 

Phichit took a deep breath. “I needed to get Yuuri out of here to talk to you. Just what are you planning?”

“Planning? I don’t understand…”

“No.” Phichit cut him off. “You can’t do that with me. I’m not sure what you’ve been telling Yuuri but you can’t say the same thing to me, Victor. Or would you rather I call you by what the public calls you, V?”

Victor went pale when he saw Phichit take out the jewels. “Where did you get those?”

“You put them in your pocket. I’m not sure why you would do that. That’s what criminals who want to get caught do. I didn’t want to believe it either but between this and that bruise on your neck”, he pointed to the mark, “I think I know who’s behind all these heists. I should have figured it out sooner. No wonder you got so close to Yuuri like that.”

“I’m not trying to hurt him.” Victor began. “In fact, I was trying to tell him everything. I just couldn’t do it. That’s why I brought those jewels to show him that I wasn’t lying. He’s my soulmate so I thought I could just tell him.”

“I’m guessing that didn’t work. Yuuri doesn’t believe you.”

“No. Then he found news about his past and that’s why he’s unhappy. I tried to calm him down but I don’t think it worked.” Victor was now worried. “Are you going to tell him?”

“I want to. I’m not sure how I feel about this either. I should hate you for this but you’re Yuuri’s soulmate. I think he’s known for a while. He feels that connection with you. The one that needs to reveal this to him is you.”

“And I’ve tried! I wanted to tell but I couldn’t. He just didn’t believe me.” 

“So now what are you going to do? You can’t keep hiding forever.”

“I don’t know. Are you going to tell anyone?”

“I should. It’s the right thing to do yet I don’t know if I can.” Phichit murmured. “For Yuuri’s sake, I don’t know if I can do that. The only thing that I’m certain about is that he needs to know the truth. I know it will be better if it comes from you.”

“I have been trying to but I don’t know if I can do it now. Yuuri will never forgive me!”

“He’ll be angrier if he has to learn on his own. Trust me. He needs to hear it from you.”

Victor bit his bottom lip and thought about what Phichit said. He was right, of course. This would go smoother if he just straight up told Yuuri and explained everything in one go. He had been trying too hard to explain in pieces. He had to tell him the reason why he was pulling off these heists and get him to bring out that inner Eros. It didn’t matter if this was a good time or not. Yuuri deserved to know what was going to happen soon.

“Then I’ll tell him.” He promised. “I’ll tell him everything as soon as he comes out of that door.”

“Good. Now you have to tell me...is Chris involved in this?” When Victor nodded, Phichit’s face fell. “I should have known. It just seemed too good to be true. I just don’t understand why you would do this. You’re already well-known and loved. You have just about everything you need. You are the kind of people that others look up to. Why would you want to steal?”

“That’s complicated. I swore I would tell Yuuri why last night but it didn’t happen. Even now, I don’t know how I can bring this up. As for Chris, none of this was his fault. I pulled him into it along with everyone else. I know he cares a lot about you. The few times we’ve spoken, he always talks fondly about you.”

That was a nice consolation but Phichit was still feeling blue, both for Yuuri and himself. A part of him still cared about Chris and the other part of him was angry. No one had given him a straight answer to this. He just knew that they were behind everthing. He kept looking at that locked door and wondering what Yuuri was doing in there. No doubt he had gotten a hold of his family and was finding out more of the truth. His world was probably coming undone right now. 

The moment Victor would tell him the truth, it was going to shatter. 

~ ~ ~

Yuuri struggled to dial the number to home but he had to get it done. Victor had told him to do it so he found the courage and waited for someone to pick up. If he was lucky, maybe no one would be around. Maybe they would be too busy to answer and he could relax for a little bit. He wasn’t even sure how he was going to confront anyone about this. He wanted to be gentle but tough at the same time. They didn’t have any right to do this and keep him in the dark.

_I am Eros. Eros is me. What am I going to do?_ He wondered, listening to the phone ring. He had left Phichit and Victor alone to talk and couldn’t stay on for long. He just had to get an answer to one question. 

Someone ended up picking up the phone of the fifth ring. “Hello?”

“Mari?” He was shocked to find that his sister was around. Normally, he expected her to be downstairs to help out customers in the hot springs. “Is anyone else around?”

“No, everyone else is downstairs. What’s wrong, Yuuri? I know you don’t normally call unless there’s some kind of trouble. Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine physically. I just have a question for you.” He began, knowing he had to get it out. “Mari, how much do you know about Eros and his connection with me?”

There was a long pause at the end and he could hear her taking a drag out of her cigarette. “You know, don’t you?”

“Not everything. I need to know more. Who was Eros? What did you do all those years ago? Is there any way to get rid of Snowflake Through the Looking Glass? I have to figure something out!”

“Calm down, Yuuri! I’ll admit I don’t know everything because I was only seven when it happened. It was a dark night when they took us outside and it was very cold. The waters were frozen and I kept complaining that I didn’t want to go. You were crying a lot but they took us out there anyway. Apparently, they heard that Eros had fallen through ice after stealing Snowflake Through the Looking Glass. While he might have been powerful in a lot of areas, he was still mortal. He knew he wasn’t going to survive that cold. Even if he got out, he would be caught easily. He decided he’d rather die than be caught.”

“So where do we come in?”

“I’m getting there. Our family owed Eros a debt. I guess he saved Mom and Dad a long time ago and they thought it was time to repay him. This part is pretty fuzzy because I was very tired and cold during it. I do remember them trying to save Eros but he kept telling them not to. He felt like his time was up. He didn’t want to get caught but he wanted to keep his treasure safe. He needed a place where no one could find it. That’s where you came in.”

“You let him store it in my body?!” Now Yuuri was angry. “You thought that was a good idea?!”

“Hold on! I’m not the one who made this decision and I’m not the one you need to be angry with. I didn’t really understand why they had picked you but I do remember them cutting your forehead and you cried even louder. I think that’s when they transferred Eros’ soul and treasure into you. According to them, that was the best place to do it.”

“Why?!” Yuuri felt the scar on his forehead. He was slightly relieved it wasn’t a lobotomy but this wasn’t any better. “How could any of you agree to that? Why would you agree to that?!”

“I didn’t agree to anything! I’m only telling you what I know.” Mari calmed down. “I’m sorry you had to find out this way. I’ve been wanting to tell you for a long time but I’ve been told not to. There needs to be a certain time for all this to happen.”

Yuuri couldn’t understand that but he still had questions. “Well, do you have any idea how to get this out of me?”

“I’m sorry. I just know one theory and it’s that your soulmate has to be one to take it out of you.” 

_Victor._ Yuuri had no idea how he could ask Victor to do something like this. Victor refused to plunge the knife into him and for good reason. “And how can my soulmate take it out?”

“I’m unsure about that part. I’m only telling you what I’ve been told. Believe me, I wasn’t happy when I learned what they did. I didn’t get their reasons at all. If you want the whole story, ask Mom. She planned the whole thing. She’s the one who really knows who Eros is.”

That was not the answer Yuuri wanted and he didn’t want to ask anyone else. He knew Mari was telling the truth though. She only knew what she had seen and been told. “I’m just tired of all this.”

“I know.” Mari murmured. There was another paused. “It’s a lot to take in. I’ll tell Mom to call you and give you the whole story. I hate that you found out like this and I’m sorry for keeping this secret from you. Just try not to think too hard about it, okay? Try to live your life like you normally do.” 

It was easy for her to say but Yuuri was now more confused than ever. He hung up and looked down at the messages that he got. There were a few of his coworkers telling him about the masquerade. A lot of famous people would be there including Victor. They wanted to know if he was taking Victor as his date. There was also a rumor that V was supposed to show up and steal everyone’s jewels, which was why security was going to tighten. 

An encounter with V was the last thing Yuuri wanted but he did know that the thief probably would tell him the truth. V was the first time to call him Eros because he knew something. For that reason, he was hoping for an encounter. After all, his boss did ask for every single thing Yuuri could find out about that lunatic. It would make a fantastic story.

He unlocked his door and could hear Phichit arguing with Victor over something. It wasn’t a disagreement either. Phichit’s voice had gotten loud, which was unusual. His friend wasn’t the type to raise his voice when he was angry. 

_What’s going on?_ He wondered, slowly pushing the door open. He wasn’t ready to go out yet so it was only cracked open. He peered through that crack to see everything.

“You can’t keep hiding this.” Phichit was saying. “If you don’t tell them, I will have to.”

“You can’t!” Victor insisted. “It would hurt Yuuri more if it came from you.”

“I know that. I know you said you tried to tell him but Yuuri didn’t believe you. In that case, you have to show him this.” Phichit held up several expensive pieces of jewelry and Yuuri recognized all of them. They were things that V had stolen earlier. While some things had been sent back, a lot were still missing. Now here they were, lying on their dining table. 

Suddenly, everything dawned on Yuuri. Victor hadn’t been playing around when he confessed, he was being honest. He was trying to tell Yuuri the truth. Even before then, it was obvious. Those bright blue eyes, his charms, the pull between them...all this time, Yuuri had been falling in love with V. He had slept with V. The whole time he was supposed keep tabs on him, V was right by his side. His soulmate was V, the one person he was trying to avoid. 

That was it. He pushed the door open at that moment and glared at Victor. It was at that moment that Victor knew Yuuri had found out the truth. Yuuri knew everything. “Get out.”

“Yuuri, I…”

“I said get out!” Yuuri snapped. He couldn’t keep it to himself anymore. “How could you?!”

“I was trying to tell you!” Victor stood up. “I wanted to tell you but you didn’t believe anything I said!”

“I didn’t want to believe it! I thought you were making it up! I never believed you could be…” Yuuri closed his eyes. He had a million things running through his mind. The people he thought he could trust were the ones who hurt him the most. After this, he wanted to be left alone to figure everything out. He wasn't sure what to feel but he needed some time to himself. “Just go away. I thought you were a better person but I was wrong.”

"Don't say that." Victor whispered. "You don't know everything."

"Are you denying what you did?"

“No, it's all true but not for the reason you think. Yuuri, if you give me a chance to say something…” It was hard to get those words out now. Yuuri's eyes, once soft and warm, were now filled with anger. His Yuuri hated him and wanted him out of this room. "I never meant to hurt you."

“I think you should go. For everyone’s sake, just leave.” Phichit whispered. “I’ll talk to him. He needs some time.” 

Victor realized that Phichit was right and started to head out the door. “I swear I’ll tell you everything when you’re ready.”

“I don’t care to know that.” Yuuri slammed the door right behind him. “I don’t want to see you again.”

The sound of the slamming door was painful but it wasn’t as bad as the pain in Victor’s chest. Yuuri knew the truth and now he was never going to forgive him. He was angry now and would probably stay that way for a while. He had a lot going on right now and he needed comfort from someone.

That someone just couldn’t be V.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Scream at me here and at tumblr @ fallsintograce.


	17. Preparation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final preparations begin...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for taking time with this one. I've been struggling with some personal issues so it's made fic writing a little hard. That said, I do intend to finish this fic at least before this year ends. We only have five more chapters to go after this and it's all going to come to a big bang. It will all end happy though. I know what I'm doing for the most part XD

Yuuri had no desire to go to work that morning but he had force himself to do so. There was an important meeting he had to be at and he needed a distraction. Work was supposed to be that distraction. Unfortunately, when he entered, he was greeted with a bouquet of roses and a card sticking out from them. He didn’t even need to think twice about who they came from nor did he have to look at the card. He took the flowers and dumped them straight into his trash. He was not in the mood for apologies from anyone. Victor was trying but he wasn’t ready to forgive. It was the main reason why he wasn’t checking his messages or picking up his phone. All of them were coming from Victor.

 _I don’t think I want to face him right now. I can’t face him until I sort this out. Why can’t he get that?_ He wondered, wishing he did not have to go to this masked ball. The last thing he wanted was to be at a party with a ton of happy people. He didn’t have a date to begin with and he knew he would miserable. Even if he got drunk, he would be a terrible drunk. He just wanted to get out of this and he couldn’t. The best thing he could do that night was go in early and get out before midnight when the masks came off. That would give him enough time to observe everything. 

The meeting wasn’t fun but it was a good time for him to get some sleep. He struggled with it last so he found himself dozing off. This was nothing he needed to hear. He already knew how things were going and what he needed to do. He closed his eyes and thought about Victor. As much as he wanted to forget him, he couldn’t stop thinking about Victor’s soft blue eyes and how hurt he was when the truth came out. He wanted to make up for this but it would take more than some flowers to do so. He didn’t know how they could go back to what they were. This was the man he admired for years. It was someone he wanted to be with and he got his chance. Now Victor had thrown it all away and it would take a while to get it back together.

It wasn’t just Victor he was angry at. His family and friends had kept this big secret from him for so long. They gave him up to some criminal and let him keep this man’s greatest treasure inside of him. For years, they let him live his life and never told him what they had done. He had yet to confront his parents but he didn’t know what to say. All he knew was that he wanted to scream at them. He wanted to stay angry with them. It was going to take a lot for him to forgive all these people.

_It’s not fair. I never asked for this. Why did they do this to me? What were they going gain from this?_

For a long time, he thought about sending a message to his mother and father but couldn’t do it. As angry as he was, he couldn’t force himself to confront them. He just needed some time to himself so he could come up with a better way of responding. He wanted to ease into this and get the whole story from them. Mari and Yuuko only knew so much. They probably knew what they had been told. As Mari had told him again and again, she was not the one he needed to be angry with. It was his parents. It was them all along. 

“Katsuki! Katsuki, wake up!”

Yuuri stood up as soon as he felt Phichit poke him. His eyes flew open wide and he shook his head to wake up. The rest of the staff was looking at him, slightly amused and wondering about him. No doubt they knew something was up. Most of them were aware of his new relationship with Victor and they figured the two of them had some fun the night before. “Yes, sir?!”

“Thank you for joining us. Your body is here but obviously your mind is not.” His boss began. “I was going to send Minami over here to fetch you some coffee. I can hear you snoring from back here.” 

“I’m sorry.” Yuuri adjusted his glasses and pretended that he was focused. “What were you asking me again?”

“I was hoping you had everything ready for the charity ball. If not, Minami here has offered to help you shop for something.” He nodded at Minami who was looking at Yuuri was excitement. “He is more than happy to get you everything needed.”

“It’s true, Yuuri!” Minami added. “I know a place that sells everything for cheap! You say the word and I will get you something!”

“Okay, okay.” Yuuri nodded to assure the younger boy that he would consider it. “I will do my best to have all my work ready for you next week.”

“I should hope so. You are far behind on everything, Katsuki. I normally wouldn’t tolerate this but you are one of my best and no one has gotten close to Nikiforov like you have. You’re also the only one who got close to V. I know you can find out all the world needs to know about that heart-mouthed maniac.”

Yuuri could feel a headache coming on but said nothing. Not very many people knew that V and Victor were the same person. He had been sleeping with the enemy the whole time and he never figured it out until now. Granted, Victor had been trying to tell him for a while but he didn’t want to believe it. He struggled to believe it. Even now, with everything in the opening, he was having a hard time accepting that Victor, the same Victor he admired and loved, was the notorious V. How could he live with all this?

“Anyway, I’m expecting nothing but the best from all of you. I know you’ll make me proud. The ball should prove for some exciting times. If there’s nothing else to talk about, this meeting is adjourned.” 

After the meeting, Phichit caught up with Yuuri and whispered in his ear. “I take it that he’s trying to apologize to you? Chris did the same for me. I came in to find a giant hamster plushie on my desk and a note from him.”

“Did you confront him about it?” Yuuri asked.

“Not yet but I think he knows I know. Maybe Victor’s told him.” Phichit sighed. “I think he’s trying to say sorry before I say anything. I’m not sure what I’m going to do. I want to continue this but I don’t think I can. Not until he stops.”

“That’s what bothers me too. Even if I forgive Victor, it doesn’t change what happened. It doesn’t mean he’s going to stop.” Yuuri pointed out. “I can’t understand it. Everything was going fine and then this happens.”

“It was going to come out sooner or later. You do have to face him though.” Phichit said. “Just like I have to face Chris, you have to face Victor. You have to get the whole story from him. And I know just the place where you can do that. Rumor has it that V is going to strike that charity ball. Guess who else will also be there?”

“Us.” Yuuri realized. “Did they say what he wants?”

“A gold medal from the king. Well, it’s not a real king but Jean-Jacques Leroy. You know he loves to think of himself as a king.” Phichit explained. “It’s supposed to be packed full of people and JJ’s going to be surrounded. I have no idea how he plans to pull this off.”

“It’s Victor. I’m sure he’ll find a way.” Yuuri murmured, making his way to his desk. “I can’t get out of this but I’m hoping I don’t have to run into him. What am I going to say? If I tell the truth, Victor goes to jail. That’s what should happen. You commit a crime, you’re supposed to pay for it.” 

“That’s true but you don’t seem like you want to do that. I think you care more about him than you’re willing to admit right now. Yes, you’re angry but you don’t want to hurt him. I get that because I feel the same way about Chris. A part of me wants to do the right thing and turn them in. Another part of me just wants to forget about it and wish that we can move on. I’m not sure which part I want to listen to.”

Yuuri found Minami standing by his desk, holding a cup of coffee, and motioned Phichit to stay quiet. They couldn’t talk about what they knew while the little chicken nugget was standing around. “Can I help you?”

“I thought you looked tired so I brought you some coffee with a lot of extra sugar in it.” Minami put the cup down on the table. “And I want to show you the sight where you can find fancy clothes and masks for cheap! I say some stuff that I think would be perfect for you!”

“That’s nice of you but I think Yuuri wants to be alone for now.” Phichit began. “We’ve had_”

 

“No, it’s okay. I could use a distraction.” Yuuri cut him off. Minami’s eyes widened with disbelief as Yuuri took a sip of the overly sweet coffee. “How much sugar is in this?”

 

“Oh, not much. Just eighteen packets of sugar.” Minami shrugged. “Anyway, I marked some stuff that I think you might like. Just turn on your computer and I’ll show you.”

As they browsed through the net, Yuuri could see some of the things that Minami had picked out. There were a few items that were not exactly what he wanted. The first outfit was something that looked like it was made of nothing but ropes and mesh. Immediately, he marked that one off. “I don’t think I can get away with wearing this one.” 

The next three outfits were exactly the same thing. Minami, for some reason, thought Yuuri would be interested in outfits that looked like either lingerie or bondage. The more pictures he flipped through, the smaller and smaller these costumes were getting. He marked all those off, not really wanting to show off all that skin. “Is there anything else that isn’t showing my back, chest, or rear end like these costumes?”

“Well, I did find one outfit that I think you might like. It does cover up all those parts.” Minami clicked on something and pulled up a picture. “There it is! I think it’s perfect for you!” 

Yuuri stared at the purple jacket with all the sequins and the fancy design. It definitely would not show off too much skin. He pictured himself in that and realized that Minami was right. It was the perfect oufit for him. It would hug his body but it didn’t look like a bondage outfit. More importantly, it was fitting for a ball but it wasn’t so shiny or over-the-top that people would be staring at him. “You’re right. This is just what I was looking for. I think I’ll get it.”

“Great! If you order it now, I can pick it up for you later! You can also get a matching mask to go with it.” Minami added. “It’s on sale too so you should get it now.”

“I will. Okay, that takes care of one problem. I can give you the money to pick this up after work.” Yuuri promised, looking down at the pile of flowers in his trash. “Thank you for your help.”

“You’re welcome, Yuuri! If there’s anything else you need, just let me know.” He followed Yuuri’s gaze at the flowers. “Is something wrong with you and Victor?”

Yuuri blinked. “What makes you think I had a problem with Victor?”

“Everyone knows about it, Yuuri. They know you and Victor are...well, were getting close.” Minami shrugged. “I thought you guys were happy but I guess not. Did he say something or do something to hurt you?”

 _Yes, but he wasn’t the only one. I’ve been hurt by people I love and I don’t know what to do about that._ Yuuri thought. Minami was a good guy but he didn’t want to bring anyone else into all this. This was something he had to handle alone. “We are having some hard times. I need some time alone.”

“I’m sorry. It did seem like you were getting along.” Minami seemed to get the hint that Yuuri didn’t want to talk about this now and decided to go. “Let me know if you need anything else.”

“Thanks.”

Yuuri felt a little better having gotten his costume but Victor was still sending messages. He didn’t dare to look at them because he wasn’t sure how to reply. A part of him didn’t even want to say a thing. He wanted to delete everything and not look back. His fingers hovered over the phone screen but he couldn’t do anything. He didn’t want to get rid of Victor’s number or messages. Something inside of him told him to keep them. Maybe there was a shot of getting back together and sorting things out. 

For now, he was going to stay quiet. He had a few more things to think about before dialing that number again. It would be smart to delete it and block Victor from calling him. Then he could get some peace and quiet.

Yet somehow, he didn’t block it. He couldn’t find the will to do it. 

~ ~ ~

Victor knew that Yuuri wasn’t going to forgive him so quickly but he was trying to get a hold of him. He had to tell Yuuri the full story. So far, he just knew the things that he had seen. He didn’t know the real reason behind the heists and what they truly meant. This couldn’t be done through texts so he had to see him in person.

Naturally, Yuuri was not responding. Victor wanted to believe it was because that he was at work but he knew better. Yuuri didn’t reply because he was angry. He didn’t want to talk to Victor right now and maybe he never would. It was painful to think about but he had to stay focused. Mila was currently laying out the plan for their last heist and he needed to pay attention. It was a little hard with half of his mind thinking about Yuuri. He knew Yuuri would be at this ball too and maybe that would be the place where he’d have to explain everything.

“Are you listening to me?” Mila asked, bringing his attention back. She had laid out the plans in front of them but they were blurry to him. “I was just talking about what to do when JJ is seated at the dining table.”

“Oh.” Victor replied. He didn’t know what else to say after that since he wasn’t part of this first half of the heist. It was mostly everyone else setting things up. “So when do I come in?”

“Ugh, weren’t you paying attention? You’re supposed to wait for my signal!” Yuri snapped. Then he turned to Mila. “Are you sure I can’t do this? If I’m supposed to spend the entire night with JJ, I should at least get a chance to do something.”

“No, Yura. We need you to keep JJ in place.” Mila explained. “You don’t have to worry about entertaining him. Knowing JJ, he will entertain himself. You just stay there and make sure he doesn’t try to ruin our plans.”

“Seriously? Why can’t I poison him or something? I’ll be next to him.”

“Because I know you and you’ll want to do more than knock him out. I’m trusting Georgi to do this part. He will be able to pull that off.”

Yuri frowned. “Can’t I at least have a butter knife to poke him with or something?”

“No.” 

Victor tried to look at the map again but none of it was making sense. He just saw the spot where he was supposed to be in the beginning, which was outside by the bushes. That was good because he needed to be out of sight. The ball was going to be tight with security and he couldn’t afford to get caught. So far, there were going to be about a thousand people at this ball so it would be packed. It would be difficult to get what he needed but even harder to find Yuuri in this crowd. All kinds of people from the press would be covering this event and they would also be dressed up for the occasion. Masks would not come off until midnight so he would have to search for Yuuri and hope that he found him.

“Oi, old man! Are you listening to anything we’re saying?!”

Yuri’s annoyance brought Victor back into reality. “Huh? I didn’t hear that.”

“Of course you didn’t. You’re still thinking about that annoying pig of a reporter, aren’t you?” Yuri rolled his eyes. “Just forget about him already! If he’s not answering your messages, then he’s no longer interested! Besides, it’s a bad idea to get involved with anyone in the press. If he found out the truth, he’ll tell everyone.”

Victor wanted to argue that Yuuri wouldn’t do that but he stopped himself. Maybe Yuuri wouldn’t but he probably had friends and coworkers who would. He had to move cautiously now. If it meant not being able to talk to Yuuri until the party, so be it. Somehow, he would pull off the heist and try to reconcile with him. In the process, maybe he would also be able to get Snowflake Through the Looking Glass out. 

“Mine didn’t send me anything either. I know he got my present but he hasn’t said anything.” Chris whispered.

“Hmm?”

“You know, Yuuri’s friend. I’ve been dating him for a while but I think he knows the truth. He didn’t answer anything I sent him this morning so I gave him something. He hasn’t blocked me from social media though. He’s still using it because he just posted a picture of his potential costume for the ball. He's also posted videos of hamsters this morning so I know that he's still using it. He just probably can't talk right now.”

Victor nodded, knowing that Phichit did find out the truth. He hadn’t told anyone else though but he wasn’t happy about this either. “Are you going to tell him?”

“Eventually. I don’t know when we’ll see each other again. I hope he’s looking at my comments on his posts. I’m telling myself that he’s busy and he hasn’t been able to answer.” Chris sighed. “After that, I don’t know what will happen to us. I do think you need to talk to Yuuri though. You have to tell him why all this is going on. I know he’ll understand. He’s just waiting for you to talk to him.”

“I want to talk to him but he’s ignoring everything I send.” Victor whispered back. “What if he doesn’t want to talk?”

“Then maybe you’ll have to talk to him in person.That way he can’t ignore you. It’s what I plan to do. They both need to hear the entire truth from us. The sooner we do it, the better.”

Mila called an end to their meeting even though Victor only heard parts of the plan. It didn’t matter though because even if he did do something differently, he would still succeed. He would find a way to get that gold medal, Snowflake Through the Looking Glass, and Yuuri’s trust again. He just needed to find the right moment to do both. 

“Well, if there are no more questions, let’s get things ready.” Mila decided, giving everyone a coy smile. “We know what we want and we know how to get it. We have it all under control and everyone has their part.”

“Yeah, yeah. I can’t believe you’re leaving me with JJ the entire night.” Yuri rolled his eyes. “All this better be worth it.” 

“Oh, it will be. By midnight, it’ll all be over. We’ll have what we need. We'll get it all together.” She nodded at them. “And if we are lucky and Victor pulls this off, we’ll get to see Eros too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *shifty eyes* 
> 
> Please feel free to scream at me in comments or follow me on tumblr: [fallsintograce](http://fallsintograce.tumblr.com)


	18. A Smell of Almonds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things start to unravel slowly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone. I apologize for my slowness but I am still struggling with personal issues and it's been hard to get back into fic writing. That said, I have made a vow to finish one fic this year (and it's most likely gonna be this one). After this, we've got only four more chapters left and I swear it will all slowly but surely come together. Thank you all for sticking around as I try to keep writing despite all that's happening.
> 
> ETA: Updated with a little more and because I can't remember what the date is anymore (I posted this at the wrong time, oops!)

The night of the masked ball finally arrived though Yuuri wasn’t exactly in the mood for a party. Up till this point, he had been getting texts from Victor and his family, which he was doing his best to ignore. He knew he had to face them and get some answers but he was afraid. He feared what he was going to hear and how it would change his life. For the time being, he needed to take his mind off it. Judging from all the sounds and lights of this party, it would be the best thing to distract him.

He had worn the outfit that Minami had found for him, the purple jacket with the fancy design and all the sequins sewn on it. The mask he had was purple with similar sequins and design to his outfit. So far, no one seemed to recognize him and that was good. He wanted to stay in the background and observe things. He knew Victor would show up. All these jewels and expensive things were just what V would be interested in. Not only that, Jean-Jacques Leroy would be here and apparently V wanted to get a hold of his gold medal. Of course, JJ was gloating that no one could get it. 

“They’ll have to pry it out of my cold, dead hands if they want it.” He had told the press, flashing a big toothy grin for the cameras. He was wearing a green costume that made him look like a fancy stalk of broccoli. “That V can do what he wants but it’s going to be in vain. No one can come near me because I’ve got”, he used his fingers to shape two Js for the camera, “JJ style!” 

It was a little obnoxious but Yuuri wanted to keep his eye on this guy. If JJ was around, chances were that Victor would also be close by. He looked around for him but couldn’t pick him out of this crowd. Everyone was dressed up all fancy and in masks. The only one who seemed to stand out right now was JJ and that was because the cameras were all over him. On one side was his fiancee, Isabella Yang, and on the other side was Yuri Plisetsky, the young figure skating star. He looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but here.

“What is he doing here?” He asked out loud.

“What was that?” Phichit wanted to know. At this point, the two of them were standing next to each other. Phichit had also picked out a rather fancy costume, all regal in red and gold. He did look more like a prince here than a member of the press.

“That’s Yuri Plisetsky. I wonder why he’s hanging around JJ because he doesn’t seem to be too happy over there.”

“He probably doesn’t like JJ throwing his arm around him and doing that thing with his fingers. Anyway, I don’t see Chris around but I have a feeling he will be here. If V left his calling card, I think his friends are going to be nearby.” 

“Speaking of V…” Yuuri turned around when he saw someone with silver hair walk by. He almost yelled out Victor’s name but that turned out to be an older woman. “What am I doing? I don’t want to see him. I let him know that he hurt me. He just doesn’t seem to get the message.”

“Probably because he realizes that you aren’t as angry as you think.” Phichit pointed out. “I’ve seen you, Yuuri. I get why you’re upset and you have a right to be. But I also think that you want to see Victor again because you want to know more. You just don’t know how to face him.”

“I…” Yuuri wanted to deny that but he couldn’t. Phichit had nailed it once again. “I do miss him. A part of me wants to answer his messages but I can’t do it. I can’t pretend that I’m okay with this. He broke the law and I’m supposed to act like I’m fine with knowing this? I’m fine with what my family did? I still don’t know what to make of it.”

“Well, don’t think about it now. We’re at a party and we’re supposed to be covering all this. Just have a good time. Enjoy what you’re seeing and we can deal with these issues tomorrow. I know I have a lot of talking to do with Chris.”

They turned their attention to JJ who was giving interviews to many people. He was waving to all the fans who were screaming his name and wanting autographs. He flashed that smile for the cameras and talked about charity and all the good things that were going on. Isabella definitely seemed to be interested in what he was saying but Yuri looked like he wanted to run away from this. He kept glowering at the cameras and flipping them off. 

“Ah, stop it!” He complained when people began taking photos of him. “What the hell do you want from me anyway?!”

“Cheer up, Yuri!” JJ threw his arm around Yuri and pulled him close, much to his annoyance. “These people are happy to see you too so just give them a big old smile! Come on, show them a smile! Oh, better yet! Let’s give everyone some JJ style!”

“Seriously?”

“Let’s do it in three...two...one! It’s JJ style!” JJ showed off his signature move with his hands while Yuri attempted to do it unenthusiastically. “Come on, do it with a smile!” 

Yuri held his tongue and forced himself to smile for the cameras. Outside, he might have appeared calm but inside, he had other thoughts on his mind. The crowd began to move around and continue asking other famous people that had shown up. By now, most of them were starting to move inside and be seated at various tables. Yuuri and Phichit were lucky that they had one that was up front and that they had a few of everything. Being members of the press, they were allowed to be seated first and to get a look at their menues. Unfortunately for Yuuri, he wasn’t wearing his glasses and he didn’t have contacts so everything looked like a blur.

“Can’t I just wear my glasses for one second? I can’t read any of this.” He pointed to the blurry lines on the menu. “I’ll take my mask off quickly_”

“No, you shouldn’t take it off until midnight!” Phichit reminded him. “Besides, if you show your face, Victor might see you.”

“Is he here?” Yuuri was suddenly curious. “Did you see him?”

“Not yet but I have a feeling he’s around. I know he trains alongside Yuri Plisetsky. If we can get a few minutes alone with him, we’ll be able to find out where he is. As for reading stuff, I’ll read what’s on the menu and you can decide. I will say this though; there are no pork cutlet bowls being served.”

“I didn’t think there would be.” Yuuri looked up and was in awe when JJ, Isabella, and Yuri joined them. “Oh! I think we’re sitting in the wrong place!”

“Nope! If you’re part of the press, this is where you belong!” JJ sat down and shook their hands. “Hey, you two! I’m glad you were able to come!”

“We wouldn’t miss this for anything in the world!” Phichit greeted him. “Everyone’s been taking about this for a while.”

While JJ and Phichit continued to talk, Yuuri continued to observe the big dining room. There were several silver haired people but not a single one of them was Victor. He didn’t think that Victor would be out in the public if he was going to steal something but he still hoped to catch a glimpse of him. If anything, he wanted to be able to stop this and maybe get some more answers from him. There was a lot he still didn’t know. 

_I know you plan to come here. Maybe you are already here. I just can’t figure out where you’re hiding._

“What do you think, Yuuri? Does that sound good?”

“Hmm?” Yuuri turned around to face Phichit. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hear that.”

“I was asking if you wanted the grilled prawns or the crab cakes for an appetizer. I also thought maybe you’d like the lamb or the salmon for the entree.”

“Um...I’ll take the prawns and the lamb chops, medium rare.” Yuuri decided. “And for dessert, I think I’ll have…” He squinted to try and read the choices. “Is that a gelato?”

“Yes, that’s the lemon mascapone gelato. Do you want that?”

“Sure.” He handed the menu back, satisfied with his choices. In truth, he didn’t care what he ate tonight. He wanted to get a glimpse of Victor out here. There were so many famous athletes, entreprenuers, models, and actors at this ball so Victor should have been here too. He watched as most people joined them. Mila Babicheva, Sara Crispino, and Georgi Popovich were also seated at their table. The last two to join were two reporters from another newspaper. Victor was nowhere in sight, which felt odd.

 _I guess that means he’s hiding._ Yuuri realized, staring a group of silver-haired people walking by. Not a single one of them was who he was looking for. The one thing he was sure about was that Victor hadn’t stolen the gold medal. JJ still had it on his bright green costume and no one had gotten close enough to it. _He’s not going to make a big scene. He’s waiting for the right moment._

“Ah, good, the food’s here!” JJ said out loud, breaking Yuuri out of his thoughts. The waiter came around to put all their appetizers in front of them. JJ held up his plate and looked over at Yuri. “Want some escargot, Yuri?”

Yuri wrinkled his nose at the sight of it. “I’m not eating slugs!” 

“Come on! They taste much better than you think! Here, I’ll let everyone take one if they want. Just try it! They gave me too many.” 

Yuuri looked as one of the escargot landed in the middle of his plate of prawns. He wasn’t feeling very hungry despite how beautiful his plate looked. The only thing he wanted to do was find Victor and stop him from pulling off this heist. He didn’t know why he wanted to get involved but a part of him just didn’t want Victor to be caught. There was too much he needed to know before he could forgive him. 

The music came on and some of the people headed to the floor to dance. Yuuri finished off his appetizer before going down there. Maybe Victor would show up and he could get some answers. He saw all kinds of people in fancy costumes but he couldn’t sense Victor around him. That feeling he got whenever he was close to him wasn’t there. Standing by the dance floor was lonely because he was staring at all the couples there. He wanted to be out there too but he couldn’t dance alone. He kept looking at all the people, hoping one of them was Victor in disguise. When no one came up to him, he gave up and went back to his table in time for the entrees to come out. 

The lamb chops served with the garlic mashed potatoes and green beans smelled divine but he still felt terrible. He tried his best to stop thinking about Victor and focus on what was in front of him. After all, Victor was truly sorry about what he had done, he wouldn’t go through with this heist. He would approach Yuuri in person and explain what he was doing instead of sending messages and gifts. He would drop everything if he did care so much. 

“You haven’t seen him yet, have you?” Phichit whispered.

“No. A bunch of other skaters are here but not him.” Yuuri whispered back, trying to finish his food. “I can only guess that he’s here and I have to find him.”

“Is that what you’re going to do? You want to find him?”

“I have to. I don’t think things will be fine until at least see him.” He smelled something in the air that was oddly familiar. It smelled like almonds yet no one was eating with almonds at that moment. He could only assume that it was coming from another table yet the scent was strong. 

“Do you smell that too?” He asked.

“Smell what?”

“Almonds. I just keep smelling almonds everywhere.” He sniffed the air. “You don’t get that?”

“No.” Phichit shook his head. “It must be from someone’s plate. I don’t think it’s anything to worry about.” 

They were suddenly interrupted by JJ letting out a burp and excusing himself. “Sorry about that! I don’t think that spicy food agreed with me!” 

“That’s what you get for eating those slugs.” Yuri muttered. 

“Oh, it’s not the escargot. I think it was something in my main course.” He touched his stomach. “This feels funny now.” 

“Are you okay?” His girlfriend asked as JJ started to drink a lot of water. “Maybe we should get you something else…”

“No, no, I’m fine! It was just something I ate.” He rubbed his chest. “I do think I should hit the men’s room though. I swear I’ll be okay. Excuse me.”

He got up and started to head towards the bathroom. It did seem like he was a little ill from the food but Yuuri was suspicious. This happened shortly after he smelled those almonds and he began to worry about this. The desserts had finally come but he had to see what was going on with JJ. He had a good feeling this might have been part of the heist. Victor was still waiting for the right moment to strike.

“Guard my dessert.” He whispered to Phichit.

“Why? Where are you going?”

“I want to check something out.”

Slowly, he went towards where the bathroom was but ended up losing JJ in the crowd. Far too many people were on the dance floor now and he was bumping into them. It wasn’t too hard to see JJ’s bright green costume but after a few seconds, he was gone. There was no way he could catch up with him now. The only thing that stood out to him now was that smell of almonds. It was still lingering in the air.

 _What is that smell and why is it still around?_ He wondered, looking throughout the room. There was no Victor and no JJ. How was he supposed to find either of them now? All he saw were people around him so he had to step to the side and watch them dance. It was also depressing to watch because he was lonely right now. He wanted someone to ask him onto the dance floor. More than that, he wanted it to be Victor.

_It’s strange that I can’t see him but that’s probably what he wants. He doesn’t want to draw much attention now. I have to find him before anything happens. I just need to know where he’s hiding._

“Excuse me but are you waiting for someone?”

This stranger’s voice cut him out of his thoughts. He didn’t really know who it was because the mask he wore wasn’t helping his sight. He just saw colors wrapped around this figure and the smell of almonds was getting stronger. Still, he tried to keep his composure. “Oh, I’m all right. I’m not waiting for anyone. I’m alone.”

“Is that so? I’m alone tonight as well.” The stranger replied, holding out his hand. Yuuri was a little hesitant at first but he took it. The stranger pressed a kiss against his knuckles and let him out onto the dance floor. “How about we spend some time together?”

“Are you asking me for a dance?”

“It’s more like I’m leading you out onto the floor. And now we’re here, what do you think we should do?”

Yuuri didn’t want to stand there and do nothing so he accepted this stranger’s offer. While they danced, he tried to make out who he was dancing with. He could see this stranger’s eyes were bright and blue and that he was wearing something made of gold and magenta. Everything matched and he stood out in this crowd. The other thing that continued to stand out was the smell. It was not going away and he couldn’t figure out why he kept smelling those almonds. As far as he knew, there were no almonds in any of the food. 

_I need to stop thinking about it. I have to find JJ and make sure he’s all right. Then I have to see where Victor is._

“You seem so distracted tonight.” The stranger murmured as he spun Yuuri around on the floor. “What’s on your mind?”

“I, um…” Yuuri wondered if he should tell this person what was going on. “I’m just feeling very lonely tonight, that’s all. There was someone I was hoping would come but he didn’t.” 

“Was that your date?”

“I...not really. We were together but we’re not anymore. You think I’d be fine but I keep looking for him. I don’t know. I thought he would be here.”

He hoped that was where this would end but the feeling around him was strange. The whole room seemed like it was starting to blur together and the only thing he could focus on was this stranger. He felt like he was trapped in this person’s arms and he heard nothing but his voice. Above all was that smell.

“Are you smelling that too?” He had to ask. "It's still in the air."

“What?”

“This whole night, I’ve been smelling almonds. I thought someone was eating them but haven’t seen anyone do that. It’s just been following me around.”

“Almonds.” The stranger murmured. “That’s new. Of all the smells, I didn’t expect that one.”

“You know what it is?” Yuuri felt dizzy suddenly and he needed to sit down. “I think I need to get off the dance floor. I don’t feel well. I think I have a headache.”

“It’s affecting you, isn’t it?”

“What are you talking about?” The smell started to get stronger and his knees were about to give out. He didn’t want to stand out here because he could sense people were watching him. The noises around him were starting to fade out and all he could see were the stranger’s eyes. There was something about them. They had gone from soft to remorseful. “I just don’t feel so good. I don’t understand why I feel so ill. I was fine earlier.”

The stranger grabbed him before he could fall onto the floor. “You have to forgive me for this, Yuuri. I never meant to hurt you.”

“You know my name?” 

“I could never forget you. I’ve wanted to see you all night but first...I had to do this.” He went on. Yuuri felt the whole world around him starting to fade out. Nothing was making sense. “I couldn’t let you stop me. Not until you knew the truth.”

“The truth? What is the truth?” The smell was stronger and it was affecting everything inside of him. The stranger had him now and he couldn’t run. “Who are you? What is going on?”

“Shh, Yuuri! Try not to draw attention! We have to do this quietly!”

“We? But I_”

He suddenly heard someone screaming in the back and tried to snap out of his daze. Nothing was making sense and his eyelids were growing heavy. He wanted to sleep now but he had to figure out where that scream was coming from. He couldn’t fall down now. He couldn’t pass out. That almond smell was bothering him and he needed to figure out why. 

“I’m sorry, my Yuuri. You have to forgive me for doing this.”

It was then that it hit him who that stranger was. “You...you came? Victor...” 

Then he passed out. The smell of almonds was still lingering in the air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come yell at me in comments or at my tumblr: [fallsintograce](http://fallsintograce.tumblr.com)
> 
> Next time...a lot more will get revealed and we'll see how things really went down.


	19. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter where things become more clear...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies for how short this chapter is. It doesn't feel like much shenanigans happened yet but I'm saving that for the next chapter. This is like a calm before the storm (and yes, there is a storm). I also apologize that this chapter may not be up to par with the others and I haven't been able to beta it well (I caught the errors I could catch) but I did want it done beforehand. I'm also not in the best of mental states but I didn't want to leave this lingering for long. Thank you.

_Three hours before the party..._

Trying to figure out what costumes they needed for the heist was not an easy feat. Georgi promised to have something for everyone but they were not satisfied with the outfits he kept giving Victor. One by one, Victor tried them on and they were turned down by everyone else. Mila and Yuri were especially vocal about how much 

“Ugh, no, you look like something that belongs on a wedding cake.”

“That looks that infamous swan dress. Pass.”

“You look like a Pokemon in that outfit. All you need is the ears and tail. Change it.”

“Now you look like a disease that’s going to spread everywhere. Too much random shit all over it. Get something else.”

After about fifty outfits, they finally came to an agreement on one. It was a bright magenta costume with a lot of gold designs over it with a mask to match. Both Mila and Yuri approved of this one and Georgi clapped his hands in delight. He had done it again. He had found the perfect outfit for all this. It was flashy enough for a ball yet he wouldn’t be standing out like a sore thumb. That was all they wanted.

“Finally!” Yuri sighed. “It only took most of the day to get something but we have it. Now can we change jobs? One of you can entertain JJ.”

“Sorry, Yura. I already told JJ you were going to accompany and help him out.” Mila apologized. “He was quite excited when he heard the news.”

“Great.” Yuri rolled his eyes. “I hope you know that you owe me, Victor. You owe me for having to spend hour after hour with that obnoxious asshole.”

“It’s going to be fine.” Chris said, coming into the room and holding up his phone. “You’re not going to believe what I have seen. Social media is buzzing over this video.”

“What is it?” Mila wanted to know.

“You should check it out. I saw it pop up and everyone is talking about. In fact, one of the hashtags on this video is “V, eat your heartmouth out”. I definitely think they want us to have a look.”

Victor found his phone and went though his social media. He could see what Chris was talking about now and had a hard time believing it. Phichit had posted a video of Yuuri wearing his costume and there were so many likes and comments below it. In addition, Phichit had captioned it with the following: “My friend’s dressed up to steal the show and maybe a certain thief’s heart :O . #veatyourheartmouthout #eveneroswouldbejealous #youaintgotnothingonyuuri’ Out of curiosity, he began to play the video and watched as everything unfolded. All the while, he could not take his eyes off Yuuri.

It wasn’t the costume that caught his eye although it was beautiful with all the swirling designs and sequins sewn on it. It was how Yuuri looked right now. Gone was that plain hair and glasses as well as the quiet, unsure young man that he had been. The man that was walking around in the room had his black hair slicked back, his eyes had a flirty look in them, and he stood like he owned the universe. In the background, Phichit was heard taking photos and there was also Minami who was hyperventilating.

“Oh my God!” Minami screamed in the back. “Yuuri, you look amazing! I knew I had picked the perfect outfit for you!”

“That poor heart mouth bandit is going to be jealous. All the attention is going to be on you and not him for once.” Phichit added. “In fact, I don’t think anyone will want to look at anything but you. You got this.”

The confident look on Yuuri’s face faded. “Can I at least wear my glasses?”

“Nope! You have to wear your mask until midnight. If you wear your glasses, they’ll know who you are. You have to blend in with all those people. Not even Eros could look as good as you do now.” 

The video ended at that moment and Victor felt his heart beating faster. Yuuri was always beautiful but he looked like he owned a million dollars. Not even JJ with his charisma could compare to Yuuri right now. Even without the mask, he looked like a different person. Victor wished that he could just call him right now and start talking. He had tried many times to get in touch but Yuuri never answered. He was acting as though they had nothing between them.

“Anyway, we need to get ready as well.” Mila stood up. “There’s a live feed of the ball right now and people are already lining up. We can’t waste time.”

“You don’t need to worry. Everything will go as according to plan.” Chris promised, stealing a glance at Victor. He had not stopped watching that video. “That’s provided a certain someone doesn’t lose his composure.”

Victor finally put his phone away. He couldn’t think about Yuuri right now because they had a heist to pull off. Tonight was the night when it all ended. “All right, I’m ready. It doesn’t matter if Yuuri sees me tonight or not. It doesn’t matter if I see Eros again. We have to do this.”

“Are you sure about this?” Mila asked, unsure about the look on Victor’s face. He didn’t seem very happy about his new plan. “If you don’t want to do this_”

“No.” Victor cut her off. “We are going to see this to the end. Even if it means I have to say goodbye to Yuuri, we have to do it.”

He knew those words came out of his mouth but he didn’t want to believe it. Even as they all got ready, he still had a hard time accepting that he and Yuuri couldn’t be together. After tonight, V would be gone and they would all go back to their old lives. The more he thought about it, the worse he felt. He didn’t want any of this to end. 

“You should see what they’re saying about that piggy online.” Yuri went on, showing him the phone. “He’s getting a lot of comments and likes for some reason. Check it out.” 

Victor didn’t want to look but he was curious. Comments were pouring in and the video was getting a lot of views. A few people were skeptical that this was Yuuri but the majority seemed ot be in awe of him. Just the first couple of comments alone said what people thought of him.

 **Annihilate2213:** That is not Katsuki, okay?! He is not that attractive.

 **Tolliepop:** Lies! All these lies! Yuuri Katsuki is hot and you cannot convince me otherwise!

 **ThisisCNBC:** Yeah, V better watch out cause he’s not gonna be the hottest thing tonight.

 **IWannaACuteYuuriBear:** Please marry me, Yuuri! 

“You have competition tonight.” Mila teased. “I think Yuuri wants to steal your heart.”

“Yeah, well, try to stay focused.” Yuri added. “We just got this job to do and you can’t get distracted by anything. That includes him.” 

Victor heard them both but his eyes were on Yuuri. Yes, he had a job to do but there was something else far more important right now. It had all started because he had admired Eros and wanted to see him again. He had seen Eros in Yuuri but he had fallen in love with Yuuri. The person he wanted to be with now was Yuuri. He had to get Yuuri to fall back in love with him again. It didn’t matter if he could get the gem out of him or not. 

All he wanted was Yuuri and he was going to win him back before the night was over. 

_Present…_

Yuuri’s eyelids fluttered open and he didn’t remember where he was. This room was dark and there was only one window that he could peek out of it. In fact, it felt more like a prison than a room. It was taking him time to remember how he came to this part.

_I know I didn’t get up here alone. I didn’t even know this area existed._

Bit by bit, his memory was starting to come back. Tonight was the night the masked ball yet his mask had been removed. He had been sitting at a table with a lot of famous people and listening to their conversations. Then he made it out onto the dance floor when a stranger smelling of bitter almonds approached him. That smell was enough to knock him out and he soon realized that he was facing Victor. Unfortunately, he had been to weak to fight him off. 

_How did he get me up here?_ He sat up and tried to make sense of this room. His eyes hadn’t adjusted to the darkness and he couldn’t see what was in front of him. The only thing he could do was trace back his steps and figure out how he ended up in this mess. 

The video on social media didn’t even highlight all of Yuuri’s beauty. The people who were out in the crowd got a better look at him and the phones were now taking his pictures. Yuuri tried not to let this bother him as he walked in with the guests. He felt confident right now. He could walk with confidence as he made his way towards the front of the line. This was where all the VIP members and press were supposed to be waiting. Phichit and Minami were right behind him, taking in all the glamor and excitement. 

He made his way to the front where the security guard stopped him. “VIP guests and press members only please.”

Yuuri held up his badge. “Then I’m in the right spot.” 

“My apologies.” The guard stepped to the side to let them in. “Is there anything you would like to be sent to your table?”

“Three bottles of champagne.” 

“Yes, sir.”

Phichit watched as Yuuri walked in and wasn’t able to say much until they were far from the crowd. “Wow! I don’t know what I’m more impressed with, how you handled that or the fact that you asked for three bottles of champagne.” 

“You are amazing!” Minami chimed in. “I can’t believe I’m going to be sitting so close to you! I only wish I could be at the same table but it’s okay! I’ll still be nearby!”

“Tonight’s going to be a night we’re never going to forget!” Phichit added, taking one quick selfie before going inside. “V is going to be so jealous of you. He’s going to regret letting you go.” 

That had been how it had all started. JJ was being his usual loud self and Yuri Plisetsky was looking at his silverware like he wanted to stick them in JJ. Everyone else being pleasant and talking amongst themselves but Yuuri was on the lookout for V. He might have looked like he was worth a million dollars but he felt lonely and worried. Up until that dance, he had been wondering if it was worth taking Victor back. Was it going to be worth hearing his side of the story? He remembered JJ getting ill and going to the bathroom while he went down to the dance floor. He had been swept away by Victor but now he had no idea what would happen next. 

“Hello?!” He called out, rubbing his eyes and wishing he had his glasses. Everything was a blur right now. “If anyone’s there, I’d like to get out of here!” 

When no one answered him, he got up and began to move around the darkness. He wanted to find a door so he could escape. His phone was nowhere in sight and there was no other way he could communicate with others. He went to the window and looked down to see that the ground was far away. There was no point in jumping unless he wanted to break all his bones. He had been taken here so no one could find him.

“Okay, this isn’t funny! I want to get out here!” He demanded. “Victor, I know you’re behind this! I don’t know what you want but you have to answer me!”

“Shh! Yuuri, not so loud!” Victor whispered. 

“Oh, so you’re here.” Yuuri wasn’t that pleased. He kept scanning the room in hopes that he could see Victor’s face. He didn’t know whether he wanted to kiss him or punch him. “What did you do to me?”

“It’s okay. You were not poisoned. Georgi would never give me anything to poison you or bring any harm. You just went to sleep. I needed to get you alone.”

“You couldn’t tell me that?” 

“I’ve tried to tell you that, Yuuri. I’ve been wanting to tell you everything for so long but you didn’t want to listen to me. It’s not that I blame you for being angry. There’s just a lot you need to know.”

“So your idea of telling me is locking me up and knocking me out? You couldn’t just face me while we were dancing?”

“I couldn’t tell you who I was. I need to get you alone because there is so much I need to tell you. Yes, I did everything. I told you that from the beginning. What I never told you was why I started doing it.”

“No but I think I can figure it out.” Yuuri murmured. “You were just so impressed with Eros because he saved you that night. You decided you wanted to be just like him. Then you come across me and think I’m Eros. You fell in love with him, not me.”

“In the beginning, I fell in love with him.” Victor corrected him. So far, he had not made his way into the room. If he was there, Yuuri had no idea where he was standing. “I will admit that you reminded me of Eros and I did owe him a debt. After all, he saved my life. I had to see him again and I thought he had returned. That was in the past though.”

“Really? What changed your mind?” 

“You did. When I met you, I knew that maybe you looked like Eros but that’s not who you were. I fell for everything that you were. Underneath, you had charm that Eros didn’t have. I was falling in love with Yuuri the whole time and I felt guilty about what I was doing. That’s why I told you sooner than let you find out.”

“I didn’t want to believe you.” Yuuri admitted. “Even now, I don’t know if I believe you. I thought you were trying to be funny. I know better now but I feel like there’s still so much you didn’t tell me. Were you so impressed with Eros that you wanted to be like him? Did you think everything he did was amazing?”

“Yes, I believed that when I was younger.” Victor admitted. “I know I know you an explanation, Yuuri. This started back when I had been attacked. Just about everyone knew about it and I felt vulnerable. I didn’t have anyone who could help but Eros. He must have realized I needed the help. He didn’t care who I was but he brought me back to life. In a way, he was the one who saved me. I’ve spent years trying to find him again.”

“I can understand that but there’s one thing; Eros died well before then.” Yuuri pointed out. “How could he have saved you?”

“I thought about that too but then I found out that Eros wasn’t any ordinary thief. He knew magic. He knew how to survive through the worst. That’s why I didn’t believe he would drown in a lake so easily. He had to be stronger than that. Then I learned about Snowflake Through the Looking Glass. It made sense that he would hide his most precious treasure in a place no one could find. It’s no ordinary gem.”

“I know. It’s his soul.” Yuuri felt his chest and wondered just where that damn gem was. “I think I get what this whole heist was really about. You don’t want what JJ has. You wanted what I had buried inside of me. This is more valuable to you. This is worth more than anything else you’ve stolen and you want it. Well, you’re in luck because I don’t need it. I don’t want it anymore though. If this is what you are really after, take it. Do what you need to take it. I really won’t mind.” He could hear those words coming out of his mouth but he wasn’t sure he agreed with them. Snowflake Through the Looking Glass was in his body. To get it out, Victor would have to cut him open and he didn’t like that option. “If this is all you ever wanted, then it’s yours. I have no need for it.”

“Um, Yuuri...it’s not that easy. You're asking me to hurt you and I can't. I care too much about you to do that.” Victor began. “I did want it in the beginning. But now, I don’t think I can take it. There’s something far more important now. There’s something I want more and I don’t want to let it go again. I made a mistake the first time.”

“Victor, if you think you can win me over like that…”

“I know I can’t. No matter how I feel, you deserve better. You deserve someone who be honest with you.” He cut him off. “That’s why I’m not going to be the one who tells you the whole story. I don’t know everything but there are some people who do. I think it they can tell you more and maybe you will trust them. I told them what was going on and they agreed to come here. They came to give you a sense of peace and maybe help you understand where this is going.”

“And who could that be?”

The door suddenly opened and Yuuri found himself facing the three people he didn’t think he would see. He saw his father first and then his mother with Mari right behind them. For a second, he wasn’t sure how to react or what to say. He wanted to believe that this was a dream because there was no way they could come this far. They wouldn’t leave Japan without saying a word. No one was able to move at that moment but Yuuri could hear his mouth slowly open to say his mother's name.

"O..."

They didn't bother to let him finish. The family ran over and gave him a hug. They were together right now and couldn't say anything now. 

There would be time for that in a few minutes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please follow me on tumblr: [fallsintograce](fallsintograce.tumblr.com)
> 
> Three more chapters to go and things will fall down...literally.


	20. Shots Through the Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More of the truth is revealed but it may be too late...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *eyes* I had no idea if I would get this story updated this month but yay, it has been! A shock ending is around the corner but don't worry...this still has a happy ending. I swear I know what I'm doing! We've got two more chapters to wrap this up! It won't be long now! 
> 
> (And hooray, it's been almost a year since I started this fic!)

_A few hours ago..._

The clock was moving very slowly and everyone was starting to get anxious. This was not the feeling they wanted before their biggest heist. The preparation for the night was taking a lot longer than expected. They knew what they wanted to do but the nerves had finally settled in. The guests had arrived yet no one was ready to confront Yuuri with the truth. His parents were discussing how to bring this up while Mari was pacing around the room. They were all jet lagged but they had to stay awake long enough to talk to Yuuri. They had planned this for a while and now they knew it was time.

“So he doesn’t know everything, does he?” Victor asked. 

“No, I could only tell him what I was told. I didn’t tell Yuuri we were on the way.” Mari explained. “He has no idea what’s going to happen. Rather than letting him find out the hard way, I think he needs to hear it from one of us.” She looked down at the invitation for the ball. “It’s too bad this isn’t open to everyone. It might have been easier if I could just go down there and surprise Yuuri. He might not panic as much if I was a guest at that party and_”

“Do you want to go to the party?” Mila suddenly interrupted her.

“No, I couldn’t!” Mari shook her head. “I know it’s a big event and only the most famous will be there and…” She stopped herself when she realized no one believed her. “Who am I kidding? Of course I want to go!”

“Then you can have my invitation and spend the night with JJ.” Yuri suggested, trying to hand his over. “That way, you get to go and I get to do something fun.”

“Oh no, I can’t take your invitation, Yurio.” Mari handed it back to him. “I’ll find another way in.”

Yuri winced at the sound of his new nickname. “Why are you calling me that?”

“Well, my brother has the same name and calling you both Yuri is going to confuse me. That’s why I think you should go by a nickname. From now on, I have to call you Yurio.”

“Huh?” Yuri was not happy with that. “Of all the names in the world, why call me that?! Couldn’t you come up with something cooler?”

“I like the nickname!” Victor exclaimed. “You look like a Yurio!”

“I do not, you asshole!”

“Everyone, please!” Mila tried to calm things down. “There are important things to talk about right now. Tonight is the night that Eros is going to make his appearance again. As far as we know, Yuuri is unaware of this. The only thing he knows is that Eros’ greatest treasure is inside of him.”

“That’s right.” Hiroko nodded. “Tonight is the night that Eros returns and gives up Snowflake Through the Looking Glass. His spirit will finally be free. Everything will go back to the way it was. As for the gem, you can do whatever you want with it. You may keep it or sell it to whoever wants it. All we want is for Yuuri to be safe.”

“I’ll keep Yuuri safe.” Victor promised. “I know he’s angry with me but I will make sure no one tries to hurt him. I’v been trying to talk to him though he keeps ignoring me. Maybe he’ll change his mind tonight.”

“For your sake, I hope he does.” Mari said. “Yuuri might seem calm and innocent on the outside but he doesn’t forgive anyone that hurts him that easily. And I mean you _really_ have to hurt him for him to get angry. He will come around but not until he knows you really are sorry and you will never hurt him again.”

Victor felt cold at that moment. Presents and texts weren’t going to heal Yuuri right now. If Yuuri didn’t want to talk to him the easy way, then he’s have to get Yuuri to listen to him the hard way. This was why he had enlisted Georgi’s help with a certain potion that would knock out anyone. It did have a strange smell of bitter almonds, a smell that cyanide sometimes gave off, but it would not be as harmful. The most it would do was put Yuuri into a deep sleep.

“He will wake up after an hour or two.” Georgi assured Victor. “When he’s not paying attention, make sure you put this under his nose. He may smell something like almonds but it will not kill him. You have to be quick and make sure he doesn’t notice it.”

Victor nodded. “I will take care of Yuuri. Just have everything else prepared.” 

“Of course. Tonight is going to change everything. We have everything else that you’ve stolen. All we need is Yuuri, Eros, and the gem. Be careful and try not to draw attention to yourself.”

The last bit of information wasn’t the hard part. Victor knew very well how to be careful and how to keep to himself. In the event anyone recognized him, he would pretend to be himself. He knew how to charm people and throw suspicion off himself. The reporters and other celebrities would be excited to see him. No one would know what he was really here for. They would just assume he was part of the party.

Now, with just an hour left to go, the final heist was about to begin and everything they worked for would lead up to the result they wanted.

~ ~ ~

_Current time…_

Yuuri had no idea what to say to his family when they had arrived. No one knew how to start this off but they knew why they were there. They had a lot to tell him and didn’t know where to start. Victor was still in the room though Yuuri couldn’t see where he was. Either he was playing around or he was afraid to come out. Whatever his reason, Yuuri didn’t care. He just needed to know the whole story.

Mari took a look at his phone. Victor had given it to her just so they could still keep in touch with each other. "Well, Phichit says that if you don't come down soon, he's going to eat your dessert and share it with Chris. He's starting to worry about you."

“Why?” He finally asked. He didn't care about what was happening with the party. Everyone downstairs could do whatever they wanted. He just needed to hear something that made sense. “What really happened that night? I’ve heard some parts of the story but I don’t understand. Why would do that to me? Who was Eros?”

“Ah, it started a long time ago. It happened well before you were even born.” His father began. “As you probably have been told, Eros was the greatest thief of all time. No one really knew who he was or why he started stealing but they couldn’t catch him. He would leave clues behind and would get away with his crimes. It didn’t matter who tried to go after him. He always got away and no one saw his face until one night.”

“One night?”

“Your father and I had gotten lost in the woods one night and we had fallen into a hole someone left as a trap.” His mother continued. “We didn’t see where it was and before we knew it, we had fallen down and had no way of getting out. All we could do was yell and hope that someone would find us. It seemed hopeless but then someone did show up. He didn’t say very much except ask us how we ended up down there. Then he pulled us out of that hole. We were so grateful to him that we promised that, if we met with him next time, we would help him out. He said he would hold us to that promise. It wasn’t until the next morning, when we saw the news about something being stolen, that we realized Eros had saved us. We knew what he looked like but we could never tell anyone. After all, we owed him our lives.”

Yuuri watched as his parents looked at each other before his father switched over. “Many years would pass and we almost forgot about that night. We kept hearing about Eros but never tried to chase him. It didn’t seem like we should go after him. However, the night that he stole Snowflake Through the Looking Glass, I felt something was going to go wrong. Something was telling me to go near that lake. I had the feeling that Eros needed my help. Unfortunately, that was the coldest night of that year and everything had frozen over. It was hard to get through all the snow and ice. When I finally did get to the lake, it was too late. Eros had fallen through the thin ice while trying to get away.”

“So that’s where all this started.” Yuuri murmured. “You had to repay Eros even as he was dying. I just don’t understand why he didn’t try to save himself.”

“I think he realized he couldn’t swim fast enough. He cared far more about protecting Snowflake Through the Looking Glass than his own life. He reminded me of our debt and I knew I had no choice. He wanted me to keep his most precious treasure hidden somewhere that no one could find. That’s when he saw you and realized…”

“That I was the best hiding place?” Yuuri finished off. This was getting stranger by the minute. “So you had to fulfill your debt by keeping this gem and his soul in me.”

“Yes. Eros was magical, which explained why no one could catch him.” His mother went on. “No one knew where he got his powers from but he knew how to get that gem inside of you. He was the one who performed that spell and said that we owed him a debt. We were to take good care of you and, in turn, take care of his most precious treasure. It wasn't to fall into the wrong hands. Not only that, he transferred his spirit into you. We didn’t think much about it at the time. We didn’t think anything would come of this.”

“Then there were reports Eros being spotted everywhere.” Mari cut in. “They took place anytime you weren’t around and it started to be more clear. Eros was alive in you and that was only because of that gem inside of you. You probably never realized it because you had no memory of it. You didn’t know what happened but we did. Then all of this started and we knew that it wouldn’t be long before someone saw Eros again.”

Yuuri took a deep breath. This was a lot to think about and he wasn’t sure how he was supposed to feel. “So the only way to get rid of him is to get this out of me. That must be why V wants it so bad.” 

He wanted to be angry about the whole thing. He wanted to hate everyone that had been involved and he wanted to rip that gem out of his body. There were too many emotions running through him and he didn’t know where to start. Instead of screaming, he was silent. His mind had gone blank and all he could do was listen. He knew he couldn’t act without knowing the whole story. All he had was half of it. 

“That’s why V has really been chasing me.” He realized. “It wasn’t me he wanted but what I had inside.” 

“Yeah, about that…” Mari began. “V isn’t exactly who he…”

“It’s Victor. I figured that out a long time ago. He revealed himself to me although I'm not sure why. I know I should turn him in but I can't do that. I don't know if I should do that.” Thinking about Victor made him wonder where he was. He had felt his presence around the room before but now there was nothing. “I learned about a lot of this from him. Speaking of which, where did he go?”

Mari looked around the room. “I could have sworn he was here. He was here the entire time. He’s the one who brought us here.” Then she paled. “Oh no, don’t tell me he’s going after the last item now. It’s not close to midnight!”

“Why? What’s going to happen at midnight?”

“Oh, we should find him!” His mother pushed Yuuri towards the door. For some reason, it was now unlocked and Victor had escaped through it while no one was looking. He had gotten away from them. “Stop him before he takes the gold medal!”

“How? I don’t even know where he went or what he really wants. You haven’t finished telling me how to get this gem out of me!” 

“Don’t think about that now! Just find Victor!” Mari opened the door and let everyone out. “Whatever you do, keep him from escaping with that medal!” 

Yuuri still didn’t understand what was happening but he didn’t need to be told twice to find Victor. His family had told him the first half of the story and now he needed the second half. Victor was the key to figuring out how to get this gem out of him. If this was what he really wanted, he could have it. He could take anything he liked.

After tonight, they had to end this.

~ ~ ~

Mila looked at the clock on the wall and waited for midnight to roll around. She hadn’t heard anything from Victor since he had taken Yuuri off the dance floor. By now, everyone was wondering what had happened. Neither Victor nor Yuuri would be gone for so long and Phichit wanted to go look for his friend. He had tried texting him many times but got no replies. As for Victor, he hadn’t said a word so no one knew how the heist would end.

“What the hell is he doing?” Yuri whispered. “It’s going to be midnight and we still won’t complete everything!”

“I don’t know! He won’t answer!” Mila whispered back. “And JJ still has his medal. He keeps running back and forth to the bathroom but nothing has been stolen.”

“You don’t think he’s been caught, do you?”

“I hope not. If he was, I think someone would have said something.” She looked through her phone. There was no news about V’s capture so they were safe for now. “Wherever he is, he has to hurry. We’re going to run out of time.”

“I told you that you should have let me do something other look after JJ. I probably would have taken care of this by now.”

Mila wanted to tell him that this wasn’t true but she wasn’t in the mood to argue. Phichit had left the table to go find Yuuri with Chris right behind him. Everyone had that feeling that something was going to happen. Something was around the corner and it was going to destroy all that they had worked for. 

~ ~ ~

Yuuri was still trying to process everything his family had told him and he wasn’t sure if he was ready to forgive anyone. He didn’t yell at them but the anger was down there. He had to wait before saying anything. He needed to find Victor first and get the rest of the story from him. Maybe, if possible, he would hand over Snowflake Through the Looking Glass and they could be done with.

As he ran up the roof, he could hear people talking below. The clock was slowly rolling its way to midnight and everyone was going to take off their masks. No one had an idea of what had gone down or what V and his gang were planning. Not even Yuuri knew what V was going to do. He had left his message but that medal wasn’t the only thing on his mind. 

_Where are you?_ He looked around the top of the roof and saw a shadowed figure on the edge of it. _There! You can’t run from me now!_

“Wait!” He called out to the figure. “Don’t run from me! I need to talk to you! There’s so much I still need to say!” He took a deep breath. “I know a lot more now. My family told me what they could.” 

The figure stopped and turned around. “I thought you never wanted to see me again. After what I did, I don’t blame you.”

“Well, I’m not here to say I forgive you. I just need to know more. Why are you so interested in Eros? Is it because of Snowflake Through the Looking Glass?” Yuuri slowly started to approach him. He had to be careful in case Victor decided to try and knock him out again. “Everything we did...did that mean anything?”

There was a strange silence between them before Victor spoke up. “Maybe in the beginning, that was what I wanted. I tried to get close to you for that. It all changed when I got to know you. That’s why I told you who I was. I felt bad.”

“Do you still want still want Snowflake Through the Looking Glass? Because you can have it.” Yuuri murmured. “You can take it out of me and do whatever you want with it. I’m tired of carrying it around along with Eros’ spirit. I want them both out of me now.”

“No, Yuuri, I can’t do that anymore.”

“Why not? It’s what you wanted.” He pointed out. “It’s why all of this started in the first place. What’s keeping you from taking it now?”

“It’s because I…” Victor paused. He knew what he wanted to say but getting the words out was more difficult. They kept getting stuck in his throat. “Yuuri, I really am sorry. I didn't want to hurt you. I didn't know it would ever go so far but it did. I did enjoy every moment I spent with you and I don't want them to end! You have a right to be angry with me but you need to know what I really feel. You need to know why I spent so much time with you and why I still want to be with you. I can't let this end.I...I want to…”

“What?” Yuuri felt himself getting closer to Victor even though he wanted to resist. He wanted to stay away but he had that feeling again. He was moving towards him. “What do you want to do? What is it that you really want? Tell me and we can end this right now.”

“I want you to…”

BANG!

A shot rang out and it caused them to pull away from each other. The tension was now broken and their minds were now focused on the fact that they had been spotted. Both of the turned around as another shot was fired and they realized they were surrounded. The police had found them and Victor tried to push Yuuri out the way. “Yuuri, run! Get out of here!”

“No!” Yuuri exclaimed, trying to hold up his hands. “Stop! Don’t shoot!”

“We have you surrounded, V! You have nowhere to run!” Someone yelled. “Surrender peacefully or else!”

“Yuuri, leave! Please find a place to hide!” Victor tried to push him out of the way. “Get out of here! Save yourself!”

“Victor, I…” Yuuri fell to the ground as another shot rang out. They had started shooting again so he had no chance of standing up. The bullets were going everywhere and no one stopped until he heard someone else yell. “Wait! Stop! Don’t shoot him! We need him alive!”

Then there was a scream and he saw Victor topple over. He had been standing too close to the ledge and he had no way of saving himself. The shots stopped and that gave Yuuri a chance to stand up. Unfortunately, he moved too slowly and was unable to grab Victor’s hand. 

“No!” He yelled out, getting to the edge and trying to reach out. He wanted to grab Victor but ended up getting a fistful of air instead. “No! No, please! Victor! VICTOR!”

He watched in horror as Victor went falling straight to the ground, still holding his arms out for Yuuri to grab him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fling your tomatoes at me at my tumblr: [fallsintograce](http://fallintograce.tumblr.com)
> 
> (I promise everyone will be okay!) 
> 
> Nyoom!

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on tumblr @ fallsintograce. 
> 
> Next chapter is in V's POV (gee, I wonder who he is). What's his motivation? We'll find out! All questions will be answered in due time!


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